PfffTTEHQF  THE  GQLDLEAf 


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^ILFORD  DARGAN 


.REDERiCK  PETERSON 


UC-NRLF 


$B    EMT    ^Sb 


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,■»  •>   )  * 


THE  FLUTTER 
OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

AND  OTHER  PLAYS 


>  ^  »   >    > 


» -    >    ^     , 


THE  FLUTTER-^  • 
OF   THE   GOLDLEAF 


AND  OTHER  PLAYS 


BY 
OLIVE  TILFORD  DARGAN 

AND 

FREDERICK  PETERSON 


NEW  YORK 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1922 


COP-JTUGHT,    1984,   BT 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


PRINTED   AT 

THE    SCRIBNER    PRESS 

KEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The  Flutter  of  the  Goldleaf        ....         i 
by  olive  tilford  dargan  and  frederick 
peterson 

The  Journey 49 

by  olive  tilford  dargan 

Everychild 75 

by  frederick  peterson  and  olive  tilford 

DARGAN 

Two  Doctors  at  Akragas      .      .      .      .      .      .     103 

BY  FREDERICK  PETERSON 


484730 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 
A  PLAY  IN  ONE  ACT 

BY 

Olive  Tilford  Dargan 

AND 

Frederick  Peterson 


CHARACTERS 

Philo  Warner,  a  student 

Hiram  Warner,  his  father ^  the  village  grocer 

Mary  Ann  Warner,  his  mother 

Dr.  Bellows,  the  village  physician 

Dr.  Seymour,  a  city  specialist 

Reba  Sloan,  a  neighbor  s  daughter 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Scene:  Laboratory  in  the  attic  of  the  Warner  cot- 
tage. At  rights  toward  rear^  entrance  from 
down-stairs.  A  rude  partition^  left,  with  door 
in  centre.  Window  centre  rear.  Large  kitchen 
table  loaded  with  apparatus.  Shelves^  simi- 
larly loadedy  against  wall  near  tabhy  right. 
Wires  strung  about.  A  rude  couch^  benchy  and 
several  wooden  chairs. 

TimCy  about  ^  p.m.  Lamp  burns  on  table. 
Mrs.  Warner  comes  upstairs y  puts  her  head 
inside  the  room  nervously y  then  enters  and  looks 
about.  > 

Mrs.  W. 
Such  a  mess !  And  the  doctors  will  be  here  in 
half  an  hour !  (Tries  to  get  busy  but  seems  bothered. 
Crosses  to  table  and  looks  at  a  little  machine  that 
stands  upon  it.)  That's  what's  driving  my  boy 
crazy !  If  I  only  dared  to  smash  it !  The  right 
sort  of  a  mother  would  do  just  that !  {Looks  at 
machine  with  dire  meditation^ 

Warner  {withouty  roaring  up  the  stairs) 
Mary  Ann ! 

[3] 


/J^P    FIJ^tlTER;    OF    THE    GOLDLEAF 

Mrs,  W,  {jumps) 

Yes,  Hiram ! 

Warner  {entering) 

Where's  Philo  ? 

Mrs,  W. 

In  the  orchard.     I  watched  my  chance,   and 

thought  Fd  redd  up  a  Httle.     He  won't  let  me 

touch  anything  when  he's  here. 

Warner 

Just  about  lives  up  here,  don't  he  ? 

Mrs.  W. 

Day  and  night  now,  since  he's  been  too  sick  to 

go  to  the  store.     And  I  can't  have  Dr.  Bellows 

bring  in  that  specialist  from  New  York  with  things 

lookin'  as  if  a  woman  had  never  come  up  the 

stairs.     {Dusting  and  rattling^ 

Warner 

Philo's  not  onto  what  the  doctors  are  after,  is 

he? 

Mrs,  W, 

He  thinks  they're  coming  to  look  at  his  machine 

mostly — and  see  what's  keepin'  him  awake  nights. 

But  maybe  he  knows.     He's  awful  sharp. 

Warner 

Sharp  ?    Wish  he  knew  enough  to  sell  eggs  and 

bacon.     He's    ruinin'    my    business.     Weighs    a 

[4] 


THE    FLUTTER    OF    T^.E  -G^.ttfLSAE*. 

pound  of  coffee  as  if  he  was  asleep.  I  can  see 
customers  watchin'  him  out  o'  the  tail  o'  their 
eye.  They're  gettin'  afraid  of  him  !  Mary  Ann, 
the  boy's  going  to  be  a  shame  to  us.     He's  crazy ! 

Mrs.  W, 

Don't  you  call  my  boy  crazy.     I  won't  hear  it, 

Hiram. 

Warner 

No,  you'll  wait  till  the  whole  village  tells  you ! 

They're  all  talkin'  now! 

Mrs,  W, 
It's  none  o'  their  business ! 

Warner 

It'll  be  their  business  if  he  flies  up  and  hurts 

somebody. 

Mrs,  W, 

Philo  wouldn't  hurt  anything  alive.     He  got 

mad  at  me  once  for  killin'  a  spider. 

Warner  {scornfully) 
Showed  his  sense  there,  didn't  he  ? 

Mrs.  W. 
If  Philo's  queer  it's  not  from  my  side  of  the 
house.     You  know  what  your  mother  was  like — 
wanderin'  round  nights  starin'  at  the  stars  with 
that  old  spy-glass  Captain  Barker  gave  her. 

£5] 


.wiE^^H^itTJEl^y  O       THE    GOLDLEAF 

Warner 
She  was  a  good  mother,  all  the  same. 

Mrs.  W. 
Couldn't  cook  at  all.     Your  father  only  kept 
alive  by  eating  at  the  neighbors  occasionally — and 
as  for  sewing  and  mending,  you  children  went  in 
rags  till  your  Aunt  Sary  came  to  live  with  you. 
Warner 
Mother  thought  a  heap  of  us,  though.     I  re- 
member how  she  cried  because  I  wouldn't  go  to 
school  and  went  into  the  grocery  business.     And 
she  cried  a  lot  more  when  I  married  you.     I  could- 
n't understand  her — then, 

Mrs.  W. 
Humph!     She'd  been  shut  up  fast  enough  if 
your  father  hadn't  been  the  softest-hearted  man 

alive. 

Warner 

Maybe  the  boy  does  take  after  her,  but  he's 
worse'n  she  ever  was. 

Mrs.  W. 
She  didn't  have  any  books — or  college  educa- 
tion— to  turn  her  head. 

Warner 
Nothing  to  read  but  the  Weekly  Mirror.     It  was 
a  good  paper,  though,  all  about  crops  and  stock, 

[6] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

and  what  the  country  people  were  doing,  and  a 

love  story  on  the  inside  page.     Father  subscribed 

on  her  account.     She  told  him  her  mind  had  to 

have  something  to  work  on.     But  she  didn't  take 

to  the  paper,  and  he  had  to  read  it  himself  to  get 

his  money's  worth. 

Mrs,  W. 

A  good  thing  she  didn't  have  a  library  to  get  at 
like  Philo.  All  those  books  he  brought  home 
didn't  do  him  any  good.  He  began  to  get  queer 
abqut  the  time  he  was  reading  that  set  of  Sir 
Humphry  Davy's  Complete  Works,  with  so  much 
about  electrics  and  the  stars,  and  that  sort  of 
stuff.     If  we   could   only  get   him   to   quit   this 

studyin'  and  stay  out-o'-doors 

Warner 

S'pose  we  clear  out  this  hole — burn  the  books, 
and  get  rid  of  all  these  confounded  wires  and  jars 
and  fixings.  I  don't  believe  he  saves  a  penny  of 
the  wages  I  give  him  for  helpin'  to  ruin  me.  All 
he  makes  goes  for  this  truck.  We'll  clear  it  out. 
Mrs.  W, 

I've  thought  of  that,  but  we  oughtn't  to  go  too 

far.    They're  his  anyhow,  and  I'm  afraid 

Warner 

Well,  Tm  not  afraid !    And  I'll  begin  with  this 
[7] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

devil !     {Pauses  over  machine.     Starts  suddenly,) 
What's  that  ?     He's  coming ! 

Mrs,  W,  (listening 
It's  only  Alice  going  to  her  room. 

Warner 
Perhaps  we'd  better  see  what  the  specialist  says 
first. 

Mrs,  W, 

I  know  Dr.   Bellows  wants  us   to  send  Philo 
away.     But  I'm  against  that,  first  and  last. 

Warner 
You  wouldn't  be  if  you'd  listen  to  Bellows 
awhile.  You  know  what  he  told  me  when  I  met 
him  this  morning  ?  "  Why,  Warner,"  he  says,  "  I 
never  go  to  see  the  boy  without  taking  a  pair  of 
handcuffs  in  my  pocket.  It's  the  quiet  ones  that 
go  the  wildest  when  they  do  break  out." 

Mrs,  W, 
Oh,  Hiram,  it's  not  going  to  be  so  bad  as  that. 
Don't  let  him  set  you  against  your  own  flesh  and 
blood.  Just  let  me  manage  awhile.  He  needs  to 
get  stirred  up  about  something — ^get  his  mind  off 
this.  I  wish  I  hadn't  stopped  those  letters  he  was 
getting  from  Reba  Sloan  when  she  went  off  to 
school  two  years  ago. 

[8] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Warner 
But  you  said  you'd  rather  see  him  dead  than 
married  to  Sloan's  girl. 

Mrs,  W, 

I  meant  it,  too !     But  seeing  your  child  dead  is 

not  so  bad  as  seeing  him  crazy — and  if  Reba  can 

save  him 

Warner 

How  in  thunder 


Mrs,  W, 
She's  a  taking  girl,  Hiram — since  she  got  back. 
If  Philo  gets  his  mind  fixed  on  her^  she'll  soon  have 
him  forget  tin'  this.  Why,  you  remember  for 
three  months  before  we  were  married  you  couldn't 
think  o'  nothing  but  me. 

Warner 
Good  Lord  !    Is  that  so,  Mary  Ann  ? 

Mrs,  W, 
I  had  to  hurry  up  the  weddin'  to  save  your 
business.     You  were  letting  Jabe  McKenny  take 
all  your  trade  right  under  your  nose. 

Warner 
Sakes  'a'  mighty !     If  I  could  come  out  of  a 
spell  like  that,  there's  some  hope  for  our  poor 
chap. 

[9] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Mrs,  W, 
That's  what  Fm  telling  you ! 

Warner 
But  Reba's  father — you  going  to  have  old  fid- 
dler Sloan  in  the  family  ? 

Mrs,  W. 
He's  come  into  some  money  now,  and  any  gen- 
tleman can  take  an  interest  in  music. 
Warner 
And  the  mother  was  that  foreign  woman. 

Mrs.  W. 
But  she's  dead.     It's  just  as  well  Philo  won't 
have  a  mother-in-law. 

Warner 
Reba'll  have  one,  all  right.     If  Philo  stays  queer 
it'll  be  hard  on  the  girl,  won't  it } 
Mrs,  W. 
He'll  not  stay  queer.     If  he  gets  that  girl  in 
his  head  there  won't  be  room  for  anything  else — 
for  a  while  anyway.     He'll  be  worse'n  you  ever 
was.     You  let  me  manage  it,  Hiram. 

(Philo  is  heard  coming  up  the  stairs.  They 
listen  in  silence  until  he  enters.  He  is  talk- 
ing^ not  quite  audibly^  to  himself^  and  doesnt 
see  them.  Goes  to  table  and  stands  by  ma- 
chine^ 

[10] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Here — at  last — I  have  caught  the  word  .  .  .  . 


the  word  of  the  stars. 

Mrs,  W, 
Philo ! 

Philo   {looking  up) 
Mother !  .  .  .    Father !  .  .  .    {In  alarm.)    You 
haven't  touched  anything  here  ? 
Mrs,  W, 
No,  my  son.     I've  just  put  the  place  to  rights 
a  bit.     Dr.  Seymour  is  coming,  you  know. 
Philo 
Yes.     {Walks  the  floor ,  meditating.) 

Warner 
You  must  come  out  of  this  dream,  Philo. 

Philo 
It  is  not  a  dream !     I  am  the  only  being  in  the 
world  who  is  awake ! 

Mrs.W. 
My  son ! 

Philo 

Man  sleeps — like  the  rocks,  trees,  hills — while 

all  around  him,  out  of  the  unseen,  beating  on  blind 

eyes,  deaf  ears,  numbed  brain,  sweep  the  winds  of 

eternity,  the  ether  waves,  the  signals  from  the 

deeps  of  space ! 

[11] 


THE    FLUTTER    OF    THE    GOLDLEAF 

Warner 

Hey,  diddle,  diddle ! 

Philo 

Sleep-walkers    all — the   people   in    the   streets, 

the  shops — the  mad  people  with  their  heaps  of 

gold ! 

Mrs,  W, 

Now  don't  work  yourself  up,  Philo,  with  the 

doctor  coming.     You  want  to  tell  him  about  your 

machine. 

Philo 

Yes.     He  is  a  great  man.     He  has  studied  these 

things.     I  will  talk  to  him.     He  will  not  laugh. 

Warner 

Mary  Ann,  don't  you  think  we'd  better  bring 

up  some  cider  ?     It'll  look  more  hospitable  like. 

Mrs,  W, 

That  city  doctor  won't  care  anything  about 

cider. 

Warner 

My  cider's  good  enough  for  anybody !    And 

Dr.  Bellows '11  be  sure  to  ask  for  it. 

Mrs,  W, 
Well,  wait  till  he  does.     {Looks  uneasily  about 
room,)     Don't    you    think,    son,    that    if  you're 
going  to  take  to  having  visitors  here  I'd  better 

[12] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

move  some  furniture  up?  You  could  have  the 
haircloth  sofa — the  springs  are  broke  anyway — 
and  Alice  says  she  don't  want  the  wax  flowers  in 
the  parlor  any  more.  They're  turnin'  yellow, 
but  you  wouldn't  notice  it  up  here. 
Philo  {clinching  his  hands) 
Do  what  you  like,  mother,  only  don't  take 
anything  out.  If  anything  happened  to  my  work 
I  believe  I'd  go  crazy ! 

{The  parents  look  at  each  other.) 
Warner 
Thought  your  work  was  tendin'  the  store. 

Philo 
Brother  Will  is  more  help  there  than  I  am, 
father. 

Warner 

You're  right  about  that.     Will's  got  a  head  on. 

Mrs.  W. 
You'd  better  go  down,  Hiram,  and  meet  the 
doctors. 

Warner 
Alice'll  show  them  up. 

Mrs.  W. 
Where's  that  strange  smell  comin'  from  ?    Do 
you  work  in  the  other  room,  too,  Philo?     {Goes 
iny  left) 

[13] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Father  .  .  .  Vm   sorry   about   the   store  .  .  . 
I  wish  I  could  tell  you  .  .  .  but  what's  the  use  ? 
You  won't  believe ! 

{Re-enter  Mrs.  W.) 

Mrs,  W. 
Gracious !     I  couldn't  breathe  in  there !     Got 
to  clear  something  out  before  Reba  comes  up  here. 
She'd  have  no  respect  for  my  housekeeping. 

Philo 
Reba? 

Mrs,  W. 

Reba  Sloan.     She's  been  asking  if  she  couldn't 

come.     She's  just  wild  to  see  your  machine. 

Philo 

Don't  you  ever  let  her  up  here,  mother ! 

Mrs,  W, 

But   she   asked   me,   Philo — and   a   neighbor's 

daughter,  you  know 

Philo 

I  thought  she  was  away  from  home. 

Mrs,  W, 

Been  back  a  month — walks  all  about  right  under 

your  eyes.    You  ought  to  be  civile  Philo. 

Philo 

I  want  to  see  Dr.  Seymour.     I  should  like  to 

[14] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

have  him  know  what  Fm  doing.     But  if  you're 

going  to  turn  the  whole  village  in  here,  Fll  bar 

the  door,  that's  all. 

Mrs,  W, 

My    son,    if   you'd    only    interest    yourself   a 

little 

Philo 

Vm   not   interested   in    anything   nearer   than 

thirty-five  million  miles ! 

Warner 
What  did  I  tell  you,  Mary  Ann  ? 

Mrs,  W. 
I  hear  the  doctors !     Now,  Philo,  if  you  can't 
talk  sense,  don't  say  anything, 

(Enter  Seymour  and  Bellows.) 

Bellows 
Good   evening,    Warner.      How   d'    do,    Mrs. 
Warner !     My  friend.  Dr.  Seymour. 

Warner  and  Mrs,  W, 
How  do  you  do,  sir ! 

Bellows 
Philo,  I've  brought  Dr.  Seymour  around  to  have 
a  talk  with  you.     He's  down  from  New  York  for 
a  day  or  two.     Been  sleeping  any  better  ? 

[15] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Too   much.     I   need   all   my   time.     Tm   very 
glad  to  see  you,  Dr.  Seymour. 
{All  take  seats  :) 

Mrs.  W, 
I  hope  you'll  excuse   the  looks  of  the  room, 
doctor. 

Seymour 
It  looks  very  interesting  indeed  to  me,  Mrs. 
Warner.     The  workshop  of  a  student,  and  a  busy 
one.     (To  Philo.)     You Ve  been  working  too  hard, 
I  see. 

Philo 

Vm  tired,  perhaps,  but  I  am  well.  When  a 
man  makes  a  momentous  discovery  he  is  apt  to 
be  overwrought.  He.  may  not  eat  or  sleep  well 
for  a  time.  He  may  even  appear  to  be  strange 
or  mad. 

(Mrs.  W.  coughs  suddenly.) 

Mrs.  W. 

I'm    afraid    that's    not    a    comfortable    chair, 

Dr.  Seymour. 

Seymour 

Quite  comfortable,  Mrs.  Warner. 

Mrs.  W.  {rapidly) 

Philo  is  my  oldest  boy,  and  I  never  could  keep 

[16] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

him  away  from  books.  Will,  my  second  son,  is 
as  steady  in  the  store  as  his  father  himself,  and 
Johnny  is  just  fine  on  the  wagon.  As  for  Alice, 
there's  not  a  neater  all-round  girl  to  be  found 
anywhere.  They're  healthy,  sensible  children, 
every  one  of  'em,  and  don't  care  what's  inside  any 
book  in  the  world — but  Philo  was  just  bent  on 

going  to  college 

Seymour 
A  very  natural  bent  for  an  ambitious  boy. 

Bellows 
Tell  us  about  the  discovery,  Philo,  my  lad. 
Philo  (rising  and  walking  slowly  up  and 
down  the  room) 
I  think  I  will.     It  will  be  another  experiment. 
I  know  what  the  effect  will  be  on  Dr.  Bellows. 
He  is  an  old  friend  of  mine — but  you,  sir,  are  a 
stranger.     I  should  like  to  try  your  mind  and  see 
if  you  are  awake  or  asleep. 

(Bellows  winks  toward  Seymour,  who  takes 
no  notice^  but  gives  Philo  careful  attention.) 
Seymour 
I  hope  I  shall  not  disappoint  you. 

Philo 
I  believe  we  have  some  points  of  view  in  com- 
mon, for  your  profession  needs  to  take  note  of 

[17] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

many  problems  connected  with  both  evolution 
and  electricity.  I  have  been  a  reader  of  general 
science  for  many  years.  The  fact  that  on  the 
earth  we  have  had  a  slow  evolution  from  a  monad 
to  a  man  contains  a  promise  of  further  develop- 
ment of  man  into — let  us  say  an  angel. 
Bellows 
Not  very  soon,  I  guess. 

Philo  {sharply) 
Hardly    in    your    day,    doctor.     You    needn't 
worry  about  the  fashion  in  wing-feathers. 
Seymour 
Go  on,  Mr.  Warner. 

Philo 
In  others  of  the  many  millions  of  globes  about 
us  in  space,  a  similar  evolution  is  going  on,  and 
in  some  the  evolution  is  less  advanced  than  in 
ours,  in  others  incomparably  more  advanced. 
Seymour 
We  may  admit  that. 

(Bellows  looks  to  ^ar^ek  for  sympathy,  and 
shakes  his  head,) 

Philo 
We  have  reached  a  stage  when  we  have  begun 
to  peer  out  into  the  stellar  depths  and  question 
them.     We  are  beginning  to  master  the  light  and 

[18] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

the  lightning,  to  measure  the  vastness  of  space, 
to  weigh  the  suns,  to  determine  the  elements 
that  comprise  them,  to  talk  and  send  messages 
thousands  of  miles  without  wires.  Each  year 
uncovers  new  wonders,  infinitely  minute,  infi- 
nitely great. 

Seymour 
True, — all  true. 

Philo  (becoming  more  repressed  and  tensely 

excited  as  he  goes  on) 

The  dreams  of  the  alchemists  are  being  realized. 

That  machine  yonder  detects  the  waves  from  a 

millionth    of   a    millionth    of   a    milligramme   of 

radium. 

Seymour 
What! 

Philo 

I  have  invented  a  tuned  electroscope  that  would 
be  destroyed  by  such  waves,  so  sensitive  as  to 
react  only  to  waves  from  an  inconceivable  dis- 
tance, beyond  thirty-five  million  miles. 

Seymour  (trying  to  take  it  in) 
Thirty-five  million  miles ! 

Philo  (with  great  tension) 
Three  weeks  ago  I  made  this  instrument,  and 
ever  since  then,  at  regular  intervals,  there  have 

[19] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

been  rhythmic  flutterings  of  the  goldleaf,  regular 
repetitions,  as  if  it  were  knocking  at  the  door  of 
earth  from  the  eternal  silences.  I  have  watched 
it — the  same  measured  fluttering — two  beats — 
then  three — then  two — then  four  and  a  pause ! 
It  is  a  studied  measure  !  It  has  meaning !  When 
I  first  noticed  it — the  faint  flutter  of  the  goldleaf 
— and  knew  that  any  waves  from  a  nearer  point 
than  thirty-five  million  miles  would  utterly  de- 
stroy so  delicate  an  instrument — my  hair  stood 
on  end.  I  have  watched  it  three  weeks — alone — 
and  you  ask  me  why  I  do  not  sleep !  .  .  .  Look  ! 
{The  doctors  spring  up  electrified y  and  stare  at 
the  instrument^ 

Philo 
There  it  is  again !    Two  beats — then  three — 
then  two — then  four — now  it  is  over  ! 

(Seymour  continues  to  stare  at  the  instrument. 
Bellows  subsides  into  a  chair^  looking  fool- 
ish,) 

Seymour  (to  himself) 
Impossible!  .  .  .     {To  Philo.)     What  was  it 
you  were  saying  ?     What  did  you  see  ? 

Philo 
I  saw  what  you  saw — signals  from  a  distance 
[20] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

farther  than  the  distance  of  the  nearest  planet  to 

our  earth.  .  ,  ,    ,     x 

Seymour  {shaken) 

But  I  saw  nothing.     At  least  a  slight  movement 

in  anything  so  sensitive  might  be  due  to  many 

causes 

Philo 

Yes !     It  is  always  the  old  story.     Truths  must 
be  hammered  into  humanity !     Branded  in  with 
flame,  or  driven  in  with  sword  and  bullet ! 
Bellows  {starting  up  alarmed) 

Hadn't  we  better  be  going,  doctor  ? 
Philo 

Oh,  no !  Wait  till  youVe  talked  me  over.  De- 
cide whether  Fm  mad  or  not !  If  Fm  a  menace 
to  the  community !  If  I  must  be  locked  up ! 
My  father  and  mother  are  waiting  to  know. 
Don't  go !     Finish  your  work  !     {Rushes  into  room, 

left.) 

Bellows  {triumphantly  to  Seymour) 

Well  ? 

(Seymour  hesitates,  looks  at  the  father  and 

mother,  then  at  Bellows,  and  takes  out  his 

match-case^ 

Bellows  {making  a  conquest  of  the  obvious) 

Warner,  a  little  of  that  fine  cider  of  yours  would 

just  finish  off  our  chat. 

[21] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Warner 
Nothing    better!      {Starting    outy    whispers    to 
Mrs.  W.)     Where's  grandma's  silver  pitcher  ? 

Mrs.  fV. 
ril  get  that, 

{They  go  down-stairs,) 

Bellows  {laughing) 
She  never  lets  him  go  to  the  cellar  by  himself. 

Seymour 
Not  a  drinker,  is  he  ? 

Bellows 
Oh,  no !    The  pattern  of  a  deacon.     But  she 
keeps  her  hand  on. 

(Seymour  lights  a  cigar  thinkingly.) 

Bellows 
No  use  to  go  over  this  case.     It's  clear  enough. 
We'll  have  our  cider — it's  worth   waiting   for — 
then  go  to  my  office  and  hx  up  the  commitment 
papers. 

Seymour  {rubbing  his  hand  slowly  over  his 
forehead) 
To  talk  with  such  a  patient  sometimes  bewilders 
the  brain.    He  seemed  so  clear  in  his  utterance — 

so  rational 

[22] 


THE    FLUTTER    OF    THE    GOLDLEAF 

Bellows 

Funny,  wasn't  he  ?     I  almost  believed  it  myself 

for  a  minute. 

Seymour 

It  might  be  true. 

Bellows 
Hey? 

Seymour 

Perhaps  we  are  all  somnambulists  moving  about 
in  this  dream-world  we  call  practical  life.  Behind 
this  tough  matter  that  takes  so  many  shapes  and 
colors,  what  strange  secrets  are  hidden,  just  be- 
ginning to  reach  our  dull  senses — X-rays,  radium 
emanations,  wireless  waves. 

Bellows 
Oh,    they're    natural    enough    now.     Common 
sense  has  adopted  them. 

Seymour 
Yes,  we  are  easily  satisfied.  Give  a  mystery  a 
name  and  that's  enough  for  the  most  of  us.  But 
here  and  there  are  minds  that  must  explore  further; 
and  if  they  discover  something  beyond  the  com- 
prehension of  us  who  stay  behind,  we  call  them 

mad. 

Bellows 

Well,  none  of  your  mind-puzzles  for  me.     Give 
[23] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

me  something  clear  cut,  like  typhoid,  or  measles, 
an  amputation,  or  new  babies,  something  I  can 
fix  my  eyes  on.  You  can  take  care  of  the  mad- 
men— except  when  they're  in  my  own  village. 
Tm  not  going  to  have  a  boy  like  Philo  gibbering 
around  ready  to  break  out  wild  any  time. 
Seymour 
It's  true  he  may  be  led  into  frenzy,  or  even  self- 
destruction,  but  it  will  be  from  overwork  and  lone- 
liness.    I  must  have  a  talk  with  the  parents 

Bellows 
What   do   you   expect   them    to   do  ?     They're 
asking  us  for  help.     And  Fm  willing  to  give  it  to 
them. 

{Re-enter  Warner  and  Mrs.  W.     He  carries 
pitcher y  she  carries  tray  with  glasses.) 
Seymour  {to  Bellows) 
We'll  see.    As  I  say,  the  boy  has  been  losing 
sleep,  and  giving  his  mind  no  rest. 

Mrs.  W.  {holding  tray  while  Warner 
pours  cider) 
Just  what  I  say,  doctor.     He's  studied  himself 

sick. 

Seymour 

You  must  get  him  out  of  here,  Mrs.  Warner. 

{Sipping  cider ^     Excellent,  indeed  ! 

[24] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Mrs.  W. 

rm  doing  my  best. 

Warner  {to  Bellows,  who  has  drained  his 

glass) 

You're  at  home,  doctor.    Just  help  yourself. 

{He  does,) 

Seymour 

What  is  his  age  ? 

Mrs,  W, 

Twenty.    He  went  early  to  college. 

Seymour  {musingly) 

The  usual   age.     Twenty.     {Sighs,)     The   age 

of  visions  and  enchantments.     "The  thoughts  of 

youth  are  long,  long  thoughts.'* 

Bellows 

What  are  you  saying,  doctor  ? 

Seymour 

Just  thinking.     It's  a  healthy  family,  isn't  it  ? 

Mrs,  W, 

I   should   say!    Why,   Will   and  Johnny   and 

Alice 

Bellows 

Best  sort.  The  thoroughbreds  of  the  town. 
Temperate-,  thriving,  regular  at  church.  Warner 
here  was  once  county  supervisor.  {Clapping  him 
on  shoulder^     Never  had  a  better  one. 

[25] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Seymour  {to  Warner) 
And  your  parents  ? 

Warner 
Father   was    a   sound,    practical   man.     Stood 
flat-footed,  I  may  say. 

Seymour 
And  your  mother  ? 

Mrs,  W, 
Law  me,  Hiram  Warner  thinks  there  was  never 
anybody  in  the  world  like  his  mother.     And  there 
never  was  ! 

Seymour 

That's  good  to  build  on.     It  is  clear  that  your 

boy  is  ill,  and  the  burden  of  his  knowledge,  whether 

truth  or  delusion,  is  far  too  great  for  him  to  bear. 

If  you  could  interest  him  for  even  a  brief  time  in 

ordinary    life — {smiling)    miracles    that    are    too 

common  to  be  disturbing — throw  him  with  young 

people 

Bellows 

You  don't  mean  you  won't  sign  the  commit- 
ment papers ! 

Seymour 

Just  that.     I  shall  not  sign  them. 

Mrs,  W,  {gratefully) 
Oh,  doctor! 

[26] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Bellows 
After  what  you  saw  here  with  your  own  eyes  ? 
He's  completely  gone  off! 

Seymour 
The  boy  may  be  right.     Under  this  tiny  con- 
sciousness of  ours  lie  vast  fields  of  subconscious 
intelligence  as  yet  unexplored.     Beyond  our  earth 
are  still  greater  mysteries,  unimaginable,  unthink- 

Bellows  {in  disgust) 

And  I  counted  on  your  common  sense ! 

Seymour 

Common  sense  is  itself  too  frail  and  uncertain 

a  thing  to  be  a  criterion  of  sanity.     The  common 

sense  of  yesterday  is  to-day's  folly,  and  our  present 

common  sense  will  be  the  madness  of  to-morrow. 

Bellows 

Well,  ril  be —     ril  wait  for  you  down-stairs, 

doctor.     {Exit,) 

Seymour 

The  lad  ought  not  to  be  in  there  alone.     {Goes 

to  door.)     Philo,  my  boy  ! 

(Philo  comes  out.     He  is  extremely  pale^  his 

black  hair  pushed  from  his  forehead^  and  his 

eyes  burnings  but  his  manner  is  calm.) 

Philo 

Well,  am  I  a  free  man  ? 

[27] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Seymour 
You  are  free,  Philo. 

Philo  {perfunctorily) 
Thank  you,  doctor. 

Seymour 

But  you  must  have  rest  from  this  work.  These 
subjects  are  too  overwhelming  for  a  sane  brain  to 
carry  without  harm.  This  attic  is  gloomy  and 
the  atmosphere  unhealthy.  You  must  have  a 
complete  change. 

Philo 

I  see.  That  is  your  answer  to  my  discovery. 
{Turns  suddenly  to  Warner.)  And  what  do  you 
think  of  it,  father  ? 

Warner 
I  don't  seem  to  get  hold  of  it,  somehow,  Philo. 
{Crosses  to  machine  and  stares  at  it,)     What's  the 
good,  anyhow  ?     They're  too  far  away.     'T would- 
n't help  business. 

(Philo  gives  a  queer  laugh.     Warner  opens 

door.) 

Warner 

I'll  see  you  down-stairs,  doctor.     {Exit.) 

Philo  {turning  to  Mrs.  W.) 
And  you,  mother } 

[28] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Mrs,  W,  {bustling  up  and  gathering  tray 
and  glasses) 
IVe  got  to  set  my  bread.  {Crosses  to  machine 
and  stares  at  it^  holding  tray,)  What'll  we  come 
to  if  folks  in  the  stars  begin  pesterin'  ?  WeVe 
got  enough  to  'tend  to  right  here.  {Goes  out  mut- 
tering,)    Got  to  set  my  bread. 

(Seymour  and  Philo  look  at  each  other  and 

smile.) 

Seymour 

Won't  you  come  down,  Philo  ? 

Philo 
No.     It's   livelier  for  me  up  here.     More   to 
think  about.     But  don't  worry  about  me,  doctor. 
I  know  this  is  the  end.     If  I  can't  convince  you, 
then  all  the  world  must  think  it  hallucination. 
Seymour 
I'm  not  unconvinced.     I  simply  don't  know. 
And  I'm  deeply  interested.     But  you  can't  stand 
it,  Philo.     Get  out  of  this.     Be  young.    This  is 
for  older  heads.    You'll  have  plenty  of  time.     Get 
out — do  anything.     Fall  in  love — fall  in  love — 
that  will  give  you  mysteries  enough  for  a  while. 
Yes,  I  mean  it — and  don't  forget,  my  dear  boy, 
that  you've  interested  me. 

{Shakes   hands   with   Philo   and  goes   down, 
[29] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo  listens  until  he  has  reached  the  foot 

of  the  stairs,) 

Philo 

The  heavens  open — the  suns  speak — and  he  is 

— interested  !     {Closes    door.)     Alone  !  .  .  .     Fall 

in  love  !    Light  the  candle  and  put  out  the  stars ! 

.  .  .     {Returns  to  his  instrument.)  ...     It  is  still. 

{Steps  are  heard  on  the  stairs^  then  a  knock  at 

the   door.     He   crosses   softly   to   door   and 

shoots  the  bolt.) 

Voice  {without) 
It's  Reba,  Philo !     Won't  you  let  me  in  ? 
{He  is  silenty  and  steps  retreat.) 

Philo  {crossing  to  centre) 
Reba  !  That  folly's  done  with,  thank  God  !  .  .  . 
{Begins  walking.)  Seymour.  ...  I  didn't  know 
how  much  I  was  hoping  from  him.  ...  It  is 
hard,  hard  to  go  on  alone.  But  I  must!  I  can't 
turn  back  from  that  call.  When  a  child  cries  we 
turn,  and  hsten,  and  help.  And  this — this  is  the 
voice  of  a  world ! 

{A  knock  is  heard  at  door.) 

Voice  of  Warner 
Philo ! 

Philo 

Buzz,  buzz,  old  bee ! 

[30] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Voice 

Come  down,  son! 

Philo 

Please  leave  me  alone,  father.  I  can't  bear 
anything  more  to-night. 

{A  pause,  and  Warner  goes  down,) 
Philo  {coming  to  table) 

I  will  work — work — work !  {Busies  his  hands.) 
Not  a  voice  to  help  me — not  a  smile  of  hope — not 
a  touch  of  sympathy.  {Sits  still  and  despairing,) 
,  ,  .  Perhaps  the  time  is  not  ripe  for  larger 
knowledge.  Nature  and  the  Divinity  that  guides 
her  must  protect  their  new  evolving  creatures.  A 
too  sudden  revelation  and  they  might  perish  from 
sheer  wonder.  .  .  .  Yes,  truth  must  come  sof- 
tened, as  a  dream,  to  the  man  child's  brain.  Its 
naked  light  would  sere  and  blind  him  forever.  .  .  . 
But  to  me  it  has  been  given  to  see — to  hear — and 
keep  sane  in  the  light.  Oh,  from  what  planet  is 
the  call  ?  From  what  one  of  the  hundred  million 
spheres?  How  many  centuries  has  it  been  sent 
outward  to  the  deaf,  the  dumb,  and  the  blind  ? 
And  what  is  the  word  ?  Is  it  Hail  ?  Help  ? 
Hope  ?  .  .  .  Or  is  it  an  answer  ?  An  answer  to 
some  signal  of  mine  ?  How  shall  I  know  ?  .  .  . 
How  shall  I  know  ? 

[31] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

{There  is  a  noise  outside  the  window.  Philo 
does  not  look  up,  Reba  appears  and  leaps 
lightly  through  the  windows.  Advances  cen- 
tre. Her  dress  is  of  clinging  black,  relieved 
by  a  floating  scarf  of  cloudy  white.  She  has 
a  mass  of  blonde  hair,  and  all  the  charms 
properly  belonging  to  her  age,  which  is 
eighteen.) 


Reba 

PhUo! 

Philo  {turning) 

Reba! 

. 

Reba 

Don't  be 

angry. 

Philo 
How  did  you  get  here  ? 

Reba 
The    window.      Don't    you    remember  —  you 
showed  me  how  to  dimb  up  once — with  a  ladder 
— the  tree — and  the  shed  roof.'*    Oh,  the  things 
you've  forgotten,  Philo ! 

{He  goes  to  door  and  unbolts  it.) 
Philo 
You  must  go  down,  Reba.     {She  does  not  move.) 
What  will  mother  say  ? 

Reba  {laughing) 
She  held  the  ladder  for  me. 
[32] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Mother  ? 

Reba 

YouVe  frightened  her  so.     You  mustn't  bolt 

the  door  again.     She's  afraid  you'll  do  something 

dreadful. 

Philo 

You  were  not  afraid  to  come. 

Reba 
I  like  to  take  risks.    Life's  dull  in  this  village. 

Philo 
How  you've  changed,  Reba ! 

Reba 
It's  taken  you  long  enough  to  find  it  out.     I've 
been  back  a  month. 

Philo 
You'd  better  go  down.     I'm  very  busy,  and 
I've  had  a  long  interruption  this  evening. 

Reba 
I'm  going  to  interrupt  some  more.     Dr.  Sey- 
mour says  it's  good  for  you. 

Philo  {angrily) 
Dr.  Seymour  knows  you've  come  ? 

Reba 
Yes.    He   said   you   might   like   the   surprise. 
Don't  you  like  it,  Philo  ? 

[33]         , 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

{Comes  near  him,  Philo  turns  away  and 
busies  himself  about  the  table  and  shelves  as 
if  he  meant  to  ignore  her  utterly,  Reba 
watches  him,  then  goes  to  window  and  takes 
a  large  apple  from  the  ledge.     Comes  back.) 

Reba 
I  brought  you  an  apple — such  a  love  of  an  apple. 
There's    a   whole    summer   of  sunsets    in    it.     I 
climbed  the  tree  myself. 

Philo  {not  looking) 
Thank  you;  I  don't  eat. 

Reba 
Don't  eat!    Well,  there  it  is!     {Throws  it  on 
the  table.    He  jumps  to  protect  his   instrument.) 
You  can  lick  it  when  you're  hungry ! 

{He  sits  down  and  begins  to  work.  She  walks 
to  other  side  of  table  and  picks  up  a  book.) 

Reba 
Oh  !  Our  old  "  Swiss  Family  Robinson  "  !  The 
very  one  we  read  together!  With  our  names  in 
it !  You've  kept  it  all  the  time !  {Hugging  it.) 
Dear  old  book!  {Turns  the  leaves.)  Why — the 
leaves  are  half  gone ! 

Philo 
They're  handy  for  cleaning  my  wires. 
[34} 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

{She  throws  the  book  down^  and  stands  uncer- 
tain,) 

Philo 

Going,  Reba  ?     Good  night ! 

Reba 

No,  Vm  not  going.    This  is  my  last  chance. 

You'll  bar  the  window  to-morrow. 

Philo  {determinedly) 
Yes,  I  will. 

{He  bends  closely  over  his  work.     She  lies  across 
the  table  opposite,  watching  his  movements 
intently.     He  fumbles  for  a  tool,) 
Reba 
The  little  one  ?    Here  it  is  ! 

{Hands  him  a  small  wire  tool.     He  stares  at 
her  face  so  near  his  own,  then  takes  the  in- 
strument and  works  confusedly.     Jumps  up 
and  tries  to  reach  a  jar  on  one  of  the  shelves, 
Reba  leaps  onto  a  chair ,  takes  the  jar  and 
hands  it  down.    He  stares,  and  takes  jar,) 
Reba  {as  he  returns  to  table) 
Ugh !    These  jars  are  so  dirty,  Philo.     May  I 
wash  them  for  you  ? 

Philo 
Heavens,  no! 

Reba 

Oh,  that  makes  you  sit  up !     {Hums  a  little, 
[35] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

leaps  down  and  begins  to  move  the  things  on  the 

tabled     rU  make  the  table  tidy  for  you,  Philo. 

Philo  {grabbing  her  hands) 
Stop! 

Reba  {sings y  swinging  his  hands  across  the 

table) 

"All  around  the  mulberry  bush " 

Philo 
Let  go ! 

Reba 

Why,  youVe  holding  me! 

{He  drops  her  hands  and  goes  to  window,  as  if 
intending  flight.     She  becomes  subtle,) 
Reba 
Dr.  Seymour  says  youVe  done  something  won- 
derful, Philo.     Won't  you  show  me  your  machine  ? 

Philo 
No. 

Reba 

But  I   care!     I   care  more   than   anybody!     I 

want  you  to  be  great.     I  could  sit  by  you  all  my 

life  just  watching  you  being  great.     (Philo  smiles. 

She  twirls  over  to  him.)     And  I  don't  like  to  be 

still,  either. 

Philo 

But  suppose  people  began  to  laugh  at  you  as 
they  do  at  me  ? 

[36] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
I  wouldn't  care.     Show  me  the  machine,  Philo. 
{Takes  his  arm  and  they  move  back  to  table?) 

Philo 
There  it  is. 

Reba  {hovering  over  it) 
This  is  it.     {Throwing  her  head  back,)     Tell  me 

about  it. 

Philo 

Reba — your  throat  is — so  white. 

Reba  {bending  suddenly  over  machine) 

There's  something  moving. 

Philo 
So  white. 

Reba 

Two — one — two,  three 

(Philo  goes  to  door  and  flings  it  open,) 

Philo 
Reba,  go  down ! 

{She  crosses  to  door^  shuts  it,  and  stands  with 
her  back  against  it,) 
Reba 
Not  till  we've  had  a  talk,  Philo.     I've  a  right 
to  it  after  what  you  said  two  years  ago — when 
I  went  away  to  school.     Have  you  forgotten  it  ? 
Shall  I  tell  you  what  you  said  ? 

[37] 


THE    FLUTTER    OF    THE    GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
No! 

Reba 

You  said  you  loved  me,  Philo.  And  I  believed 
it  for  two  years.  When  I  came  back  you  were 
silent.  IVe  tried  to  make  you  speak — IVe  got 
in  your  way — Fve  done  everything  nice  girls 
don't  do — because — I  love  you  as  much  as  you 
love  that!  {fVaves  her  hand  toward  the  machine,) 
Philo 

Don't  say  it.     It  can't  be  true.     No  woman 
could  love  so  much  as  that.     {Goes  back  to  table.) 
Reba  {following  him) 

I  don't  ask  you  to  love  me.     But  let  me  come 

here  and  sit  by  you  sometimes.     I  could  be  happy 

then — though  I  don't  like  to  be  still.     I  was  going 

to  a  dance  to-night. 

Philo 
A  dance ! 

Reba 

But  I  knew  you  were  up  here  alone — and  I 
had  heard — oh,  my  dear ! — that  they  were  going 
to  send  you  away.  I  couldn't  bear  it.  I  had  to 
come.  Oh,  Philo,  they  shall  not  send  you  away ! 
Dr.  Seymour  says  all  you  need  is  a  new  interest. 
Philo 
To  dance,  perhaps ! 

[38} 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
Well — why  not?  It  is  fun.  We  were  to  be 
in  fancy  dress,  and  I  was  going  as  Night.  See — 
{waving  her  scarf)  this  is  my  cloud — and  my  hair 
is  the  moon !  I  washed  it  to-day  so  it  would  be 
fluffy.     Just  see  how  soft  it  is ! 

Philo  {touching  her  hair) 
How  f^nt !     Will  you  give  me  a  lock,  Reba  ? 

Reba 
Oh,    yes !    Where    are    your   scissors  ?    Here ! 
{Takes  scissors  from  table,)     You  cut  it,  Philo. 
{He  takes  scissors.)     Anywhere.     It*s  curly  at  the 
neck  and  temples. 

Philo  {cutting  lock) 
I  don't  want  a  curl.     {Puts  hair  carefully  in 
table  drawer.)     Vm  making  a  new  machine  and  I 
need  long  hairs  for  some  of  the  parts. 

Reba  {raging) 
You  sha'n't  have  it !     You  sha'n't ! 

{Tries  to  open  drawer.     They  struggle.     She 
gets  her  arms  about  his  neck.) 

Philo  {pushing  her  of) 

Your  throat 

{Kisses  it.     She  clings  to  him,  and  he  sits 
downy  holding  her  on  his  knee.) 
[39] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Reba 
I  knew !    I  knew !    Oh,  Philo,  you  haven* t  for- 
gotten !    You  remember — everything ! 

Philo 
Everything ! 

Reba 

That  day  we  went  fishing  and 

Philo  {laughing) 

Forgot  the  tackle ! 

Reba 

And  that  last  evening  in  the  orchard,  when  you 

said 

Philo 
I  love  you ! 

Reba 

Oh,  you  look  just  as  you  did  then — so  happy ! 

I  nearly  died  when  I  came  home  and  saw  the 

change  in  your  face.     It  seemed  to  shut  me  out, 

like  a  great  iron  door.     Philo.  .  .  .     You  won't 

forget  again  ? 

Philo 
Never ! 

Reba 

And  I  may  come  every  day  ? 

Philo 
Every  day ! 

Reba 

ril  help  you,  Philo.     Til  give  you  all  my  hair. 
[40] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

{Lays  her  head  on  his  shoulder.)     And  V\\  let  you 
work  and  not  think  of  me  at  all.     You  can  live 

with  your  stars 

Philo  {kissing  her) 
There  are  no  stars ! 

Reba  {laughing) 
ril  never  be  jealous  again  !     {Gets  up.)     Come  ! 
Let's  see  what  the  dinky  thing  is  doing ! 

{Goes  to  table.     Philo  watches  her^  slowly  re- 
peating  her  name.) 

Reba 
What  a  little  thing  it  is !    And — there  is  some- 
thing fluttering ! 

(Philo  crosses ,  still  seeing  nothing  but  the  girl.) 

Reba 

See — Vm  trying  to  count — two — three 

{He  looks  down,  and  becomes  transfixed.) 

Philo 
Oh,  my  God !   They've  changed  the  signal !  .  .  . 
Look,  Reba !    Count  the  beats !     Count  for  me ! 
Count ! 

Reba  {confused) 

Two — three — no,  four 

Philo 
Can't    you    count?     Get    away!     {Pushes    her 
[41] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

aside.)     Two — three — four — three —    They  have 
changed  it !    Oh,  I  must  answer ! 

Reba 

Philo 

Philo 
Go  down ! 

Reba  {clinging  to  him) 

I  won't — I  won't 

Philo  {putting  her  in  a  chair) 

Sit  there,  then.     And  for  God's  sake  be  still! 

{Returns  to  machine  and  counts  under  his  breath.) 

It  is  true — it  is  true — and  I  am  not  ready !     I  am 

dumb,   like    all   the   world!     I   cannot  let   them 

know!     {Walks  the  floor y  muttering)     But  I  will — 

I  must.     {Crosses  to  window.)     I  must  do  it ! — 

think  of  nothing  else — nothing !     I  shall  not  sleep 

till  it  is  done  1  .  .  .     But  they  will  call  me  mad — 

lock  me  up  before  I  have  finished,  God,  before  I 

have  finished ! 

Reba 
Philo,  listen ! 

Philo 

It's  the  world's  way  ...  to  beat  the  spirit 
down  .  .  .  the  eager  spirit,  superbly  sane,  daring 
to  pierce  the  barriers  between  heaven  and  earth ! 

Reba 
I'll  not  sit  here !     {She  sits  nevertheless.) 
[42] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Philo 
Oh,  Truth-driven    martyrs,    seers    of  visions, 
prophets  of  the  old  world  and  the  new,  born  out 
of  your  time  to  suffer  by  fire,  by  sword,  and  prison 

bars! 

Reba  (cooing/y) 
Dear  Philo ! 

Philo 

I  too  shall  join  you  !     Forerunners  of  the  waking 
spirit  of  the  world ! 

(Reba  gets  before  him  as  he  walks.  Com- 
pletely abs orbed y  he  puts  her  aside,  absently 
but  gently,  as  if  she  were  a  kitten  he  did 
not  wish  to  hurt.) 

Philo 
I  must  finish  it — I  must — before  they  beat  me 
down !  {Pauses  by  machine.)  There  is  no  one 
but  me  to  do  it.  If  I  fail  they  may  have  to  wait 
another  million  years — out  there — working,  wait- 
ing. {Resumes  walk.)  I  shall  not  fail.  I  have 
gone  too  far.  God  will  take  my  part  now.  Be 
it  His  own  eternal  sign,  I  will  answer  it! 

Reba 
ril  make  you  see  me ! 

{Runs  to  table,  leaps  upon  it  and  begins  a  dance 
among  the  wires  and  bottles.     He  is  stunned 
[43] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

jor  a  moment,  then  rushes  to  her,  seizes  her 

waist  with  both  hands,  lifts  her  up,  and  flings 

her  to  a  chair.) 

Philo 

Sit  there,  you  dragon-fly !    Or  I'll  crush  you ! 

{Goes  to  window,  as  if  for  breath  and  air.    Recovers 

poise,)     Let  them  think  me  mad.     Up  here  I  shall 

work  it  out.     And  I  shall  not  be  alone.     Earth 

will  not  hear  me,   but   the  heavens  will  listen. 

{Holds    his   hands   toward  the   stars.)     My   only 

friends ! 

Reba 

Crush  me !     {She  steals  up  to  the  table,  seizes  a 

large  book,  and  brings  it  down  with  utter  destruction 

upon  his  machine.     Philo  turns  and  sees.     They 

face   each   other.     She  shrinks,  terrified.)     Don't, 

Philo!     {Kneels,  throwing  back  her  head,  showing 

the  long  line  of  her  throat.)     Forgive  me  !     It  was 

driving  you  mad  !     I  wanted  to  save  you  !     Don't 

look  like  that !     Forgive  me,  Philo ! 

Philo 
Your  throat — is — so  white ! 

{Seizes  and  chokes  her.    As  he  seizes  her  she 

gives  a  cry  of  terror.     Warner,  Mrs.  W., 

Seymour,  and  Bellows  rush  up  the  stairs 

and  enter.     Philo  takes  his  hands  from  the 

[44] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

girFs   throat  and  stands   apart.     She  lies 

motionless,) 

Warner  (roaring) 

YouVe  managed,  Mary  Ann ! 

Bellows  {excitedly) 

Who's  right,  now,  Seymour  ? 

(Seymour  ^^«^j  over  Reba,  listening  J  or  her 

heart-beat^ 

Warner  {choking) 

A  hanging  in  the  family ! 

Mrs.  W. 
Is  she — dead? 

Seymour 

No.     It  is  chiefly  fear.     {Works  over  her  body,) 

Philo  {to  himself) 

Poor  little  bird  !    Poor  little  bird ! 

Bellows  {taking  a  pair  of  handcujffs  from  his 

pocket  and  offering  them  to  Warner) 

Better  clap  these  on  him.     We're  none  of  us 

safe. 

Philo 

Handcuffs,  doctor  ?     V\\  make  no  trouble. 

{Holds  out  his  hands  and  Bellows  fastens 

handcuffs?) 

Bellows 
It's  for  your  own  good,  Philo. 

[45] 


THE    FLUTTER    OF    THE    GOLDLEAF 

Seymour 

Our  mistake — our  mistake  !     Poor  boy ! 

Bellows 

Poor  girly  I  should  say ! 

Seymour  {lifting  Reba) 

ril  take  her  down-stairs.     {Carries  her  to  door,) 

I  shall  need  you,  Mrs.  Warner. 

(Mrs.  W.  follows y  weeping  and  looking  back 

at  Philo.) 

Philo 

Fm  all  right,  mother. 

Mrs.  W. 

All  right.    Oh,  God  help  him  !     {Exit:) 

Bellows 
Clean  mad ! 

Philo  {crosses,  and  looks  down  on  the  wreck 
of  his  machine) 
Silent  .  .  .  but    I    have    heard !    The    divine 
whisper  has  reached  me ! 

Bellows 
That*s  still  on  his  mind,  you  see.     Better  leave 
him  up  here  till  morning.     Seymour  and  I  will 
fix  up  the  papers  and  take  him  off  to-morrow. 
Tm  sorry,  Philo,  but  you  know  it's  for  the  best. 
Philo 
ril  make  no  trouble.     Don't  worry,  doctor. 
[46] 


THE  FLUTTER  OF  THE  GOLDLEAF 

Bellows  {to  hints  elf y  going) 
Lord,  he*s  cool !     {Advising  Warner,  in  cau- 
tiously lowered  tone.)     That's  the  way  with  the 
worst  of  them.     {Exit,) 

Warner 
Want  me  to  stay  with  you,  Philo  ? 

Philo 
No,  father. 

Warner  {Relieved) 

Good  night,  son.     {At  door,)     Mother '11  send 
up  some  blankets.     {Exit,) 
Philo 
Blankets ! 

(curtain) 


[47] 


THE  JOURNEY 

BY 

Olive  Tilford  Dargan 


CHARACTERS 

Princess  Wong  Fe,  bride  of  Yu  Tat  Shun 

So  Siu,  her  friend 

Prince  Ching 

Makuro,  of  Japan 

Yu  Tai  Shun,  of  all  nations 


THE  JOURNEY 

Scene:  Room  in  a  farmhouse  above  Siangtan^  where 
the  Siang  flows  among  hills.  The  rear  of  room 
has  wide  exit  to  a  porch,  beyond  which  show  the 
tops  of  pear  and  peach  trees  in  full  bloom. 
Steps  lead  down  to  the  orchard,  and  the  orchard 
slopes  to  the  river, 

Wong  Fe  and  So  Siu  present, 

Wong  Fe 
My  lily  So  Siu,  has  not  the  dishonorable  color 
left  my  wretched  cheeks  ?     Is  not  my  face  like 
the  dough  before  it  goes  into  the  oven  ? 

So  Siu 

Oh,  my  golden  Fe,  pearls  in  the  dawn  are  no 

fairer ! 

Wong  Fe 

But  these  cow-girl's  tatters !     Would  not  my 

gown  of  meadow-green  mist  with  the  peach-gold 

underrobe  make  me  less  haggard  ? 

So  Siu 
When  your  lord,  Yu  Tai  Shun,  returns  from  the 

hills  he  will  say 

[51] 


THE    JOURNEY 

fVong  Fe 
Oh,  what  will  he  say  ? 

So  Siu 
That  the  fairies  have  been  your  friends.    They 
wove  for  you  this  robe  of  rose-leaves,  and  threw 
over  you  a  gray  cloud  from  the  Witches  Mountain. 
(Wong  Fe  trips  gaily ^  then  with  sudden  sur- 
render begins  to  weep.) 
So  Siu 
Have  no  shame,  beloved  of  miserable  So  Siu. 
Water  must  follow  the  fire.     I  am  only  a  maid, 
but  I  know  that  when  the  honeymoon  is  without 
tears  two  pigs  have  married.     Ah,  wet  my  sleeve, 
my  dear  one,  and  not  thine  that  will  lie  on  the 
neck  of  the  golden  lord,  Yu  Tai  Shun. 
Wong  Fe 
When  I  awoke  this  morning  the  sunlight  was 
on  my  pillow,  but  Yu  Tai  Shun  was  gone.     All 
day  I  have  not  seen  his  face.     And  now  the  last 
swallow  has  left  the  sky. 

So  Siu 
Why  did  Prince  Ching  and  the  young  Japanese 
choose  this  day  to  be  guests  of  Yu  Tai  Shun  ?  It 
is  sad  for  the  wife  when  the  friends  of  her  lord 
find  her  alone.  Yu  Tai  Shun  will  beat  his  door- 
step for  not  calling  him. 

[52] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Wong  Fe 
He  will !    Prince  Ching  is  almost  his  father. 
May  his  age  climb  as  the  hills,  always  nearer  the 

'^"f-  SoSiu 

Indeed,  you  would  be  sitting  alone  in  a  cloud 
of  sighs,  not  fast  wedded  to  the  bringer  of  dawn, 
Yu  Tai  Shun,  if  Prince  Ching  had  not  won  his 
way  to  your  brothers,  the  mighty  princes,  Wong 
Li  and  Wong  Sen. 

Wong  Fe 

I  kiss  his  honorable  dust !    He  shall  live  with 
my  ancestors !    And  Makuro,   the  young  Japa- 
nese, I  shall  love  him  too,  for  he  is  most  dear  to 
Yu  Tai  Shun.     Do  they  still  sit  in  the  orchard  ? 
So  Siu 

They  have  not  moved,  nor  paused  in  their  talk- 
ing. Do  you  not  hear  ?  Like  bees  that  cannot 
choose  their  flower.  It  may  be  that  they  have 
brought  news  to  Yu  Tai  Shun,  and  his  gloom  will 

pass. 

Wong  Fe 

No,  I  feel  it  was  their  coming,  like  a  far  cloud, 

that  shadowed  him.     Oh,  my  So  Siu,  it  will  be 

darker  now ! 

So  Siu 

I  have  sent  tea  and  cakes  to  the  orchard. 

[53] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Wong  Fe 

It  shall  not  be  dark.     Do  not  the  fairies  of  the 

sun  weave  a  white  world  out  of  the  threads  of 

midnight  ?     I  will  pray  to  them.     We  must  be 

merry,  my  lily  So  Siu. 

So  Siu 
And  why  not  ? 

Wong  Fe 

I  shall  dance  to-night  before  Yu  Tai  Shun. 
{Tripping.)  Is  it  not  good  to  have  feet  ?  My 
honorable  and  glorious  mamma  weeps  when  I 
dance,  but  it  is  because  she  was  born  too  soon 
and  they  crippled  her  beloved  feet. 
So  Siu 

How  glad  I  am  that  the  old  world  is  gone  when 

only  the  painted  flower-girls  could  do  the  happy 

things ! 

Wong  Fe 

And  it  was  my  own  lord,  Yu  Tai  Shun,  who 

made  the  earth  new  again ! 

{She  listenSy  suddenly  still.) 

So  Siu 
He  is  here ! 

Wong  Fe 

My  darling  So  Siu 

So  Siu 
I  go !     {Darts  from  room,  right.) 

[54] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Wong  Fe 
I  would  be  dancing,  but  I  cannot  move.    There 
are  anchors  of  fear  on  my  toes. 

{Enter  Yu  Tai  Shun,  left.    He  is  dressed  in 
gray  flannels y  of  American  pattern^ 

Shun  {stopping  before  Wong  Fe) 
I  left  a  witch-cloud  on  the  hills,  and  it  has 
dropped  down  before  me. 

{She  courtesies  to  the  floor.     He  snatches  her 

up') 

Shun 

No !    I  want  my  Western  bride  to-night. 

Wong  Fe 
But  this  is  a  Chinese  orchard,  and  it  is  spring- 
time.   Let  me  worship  a  little. 

Shun 
Never,  my  mountain  bird ! 

{Draws  her  to  the  steps,  where  they  sit,) 

Wong  Fe 
You  are  weary,  beloved  ? 

Shun 
Not  now.     I  have  my  rest.    To-morrow  you 
shall  go  with  me. 

Wong  Fe 
Up  the  mountain  ? 


THE    JOURNEY 

Shun 
I  will  show  you  where  I  dropped  the  storm  in 

my  heart. 

Wong  Fe  {timidly) 

Will  it  come  again,  Yu  Tai  Shun  ? 

Shun 
Nothing  can  wake  it  again. 
Wong  Fe 
Then  indeed  I  am  your  bride ! 

Shun 
Heart  of  my  body  art  thou,  Wong  Fe ! 

{Holds  her  to  his  breast  a  moment,  looking  dis- 
tantly out.  Suddenly  sees  his  friends  ap- 
proaching.) 

Shun 
We  have  guests  ? 

Wong  Fe  {quickly  springing  up) 

Forgive  me !     Your  friends   are  here.     Prince 

Ching,  and  Makuro,  from  Japan. 

Shun 
Makuro  ? 

{He  throws  up  his  right  hand.    In  a  moment 
Prince  Ching  and  Makuro  are  seen  ad- 
vancing from  the  orchard.) 
Wong  Fe 
They  have   had   my  welcome.     I   leave   you. 
{Crosses  to  right,  reluctantly.) 


THE  JOURNEY 

Shun 

Return  to  us  soon,  my  gold  of  the  morning. 

(She  goes  out,     Ching  and  the  Japanese  enter ^ 

Ching 

We  have  waited,  Yu  Tai  Shun.     We  knew  that 

the  setting  sun  would  turn  a  bridegroom  home. 

Makuro 
Master ! 

Shun 

My  friend !    What  brings  you  to  China  ? 

Makuro  {with  steady  gaze) 

You  know.     I  have  come  for  you. 

Shun  {stubbornly,  as  if  chidden) 

My  work  is  done.     China  is  free. 

Ching 

Her  slavery  is  only  beginning.    You  may  hide 

your  body  but  you  cannot  bury  your  mind  under 

peach-blossoms. 

Shun 

The  republic  is  established. 

Ching 
But  not  a  democracy. 

Shun 
My  work  is  done.    Twenty  years  have  I  given 
to  the  cause  of  the  people.     Now  until  I  die  I 
will  toil  and  sing  in  the  fields  of  my  fathers. 

[37] 


THE    JOURNEY 

{They  have  gradually  come  to  centre  of  roomy 
which  servants  have  lighted.  Wong  Fe 
silently  returns,  but  at  a  sign  from  Ching 
she  retreats  and  remains  by  wall,  right,  par- 
ticipating in  the  scene  that  follows,  though 
Yu  Tai  Shun  and  Makuro  are  unaware  of 
her  presence^ 

Makuro 
Do  you  remember  when  I  stood  here  once  be- 
fore, Yu  Tai  Shun  ? 

Shun 
Can  you  ask  me  that,  Makuro  ? 

Makuro 
Why  not,  when  you  seem  to  have  forgotten  all 
that  passed  between  us  ?  I  went  from  that  meet- 
ing with  an  imperishable  fire  in  my  heart.  I  re- 
turn, and  the  light  that  kindled  mine  is  dark.  We 
stood  here,  and  the  words  you  spoke  were  brighter 
than  the  lamps  of  Siangtan  that  we  looked  down 
upon.  Shall  I  repeat  them,  Yu  Tai  Shun  ? 
{Shun  is  silent,) 

Ching 
I  would  hear  them,  Makuro. 

Makuro 
The  master  said:  "Forty  centuries  has  China 
been  content  to  plough,  to  sow,  to  reap,  and  with 
[58] 


THE    JOURNEY 

her  harvest  support  one-quarter  of  the  human 
lives  on  our  planet.  Drudgery  has  been  her  lot, 
frugality  her  virtue.  Only  so  had  she  lease  of 
breath.  Now  she  is  to  unlock  her  mines,  build 
ships,  and  roads  of  commerce,  and  with  the  magic 
of  machinery  set  her  people  free.  If  that  magic 
is  owned  by  a  few,  there  will  be  no  freedom,  but 
a  slavery  whose  agony  no  man  can  tell.  Every 
owner  will  be  a  monarch  greater  than  the  Son  of 
Heaven  to  whom  we  bowed.  We  cannot  shut 
them  out  by  war.  We  can  do  it  solely  by  making 
China  a  true  democracy  where  the  people  them- 
selves own  the  magic  tools  and  the  great  ways  to 
the  markets.  To  do  this  is  the  work  of  all  who 
love  Freedom,  and  I  know  no  other  goddess." 
Were  these  your  words,  Yu  Tai  Shun  ? 

Shun 

Yes  .  .  .  my  words. 

Makuro 

That  was  five  years  ago.  From  all  parts  of  the 
earth  come  powers  fulfilling  your  fear.  Leagued 
with  our  own  purblind  princes  and  dwellers  in  the 
dusk,  they  hover  over  China,  waiting  for  war  and 
bribery  to  dismember  her.  And  you  say  your 
work  is  done.  Yu  Tai  Shun,  where  have  you 
buried  my  master  ? 

[59] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Ching 
In  the  heart  of  the  Princess  Wong  Fe. 

Shun  {rallying) 
May  we  not  be  too  stern  in  our  judgment  of 
the  lords  of  steam  and  iron  ?    Lei  Kung  Sang  and 
the  British  minister  of  the  So-nan  mineral  beds 
have  built  houses  for  the  people. 
Ching 
And  have  taken  their  land.     Men  who  plucked 
their  own  fruit,  and  took  food  from  their  own  gar- 
dens, now  cannot  eat  until  they  have  torn  new 
treasure  out  of  the  earth  for  the  kind  Briton  and 
the  good  Lei  Kung  Sang. 
Shun 
Their  days  of  work  were  always  long  and  weary. 

Ching 
But  they  toiled  as  free  men  in  the  sun,  and  as 
free  men  sang  from  the  river-boats  when  the  moon 
rose.  In  America,  where  there  is  still  much  land 
and  few  people,  there  are  places  where  children 
go  down  into  the  mines  and  never  see  the  sun  ex- 
cept on  the  day  they  call  "holy."  How  will  it 
be  with  China's  four  hundred  millions,  when  there 
are  not  even  waste  places  where  those  who  would 
flee  may  gather  ?  For  even  her  great  untilled 
spaces  are  being  covered  by  the  foreign  hand. 

[60] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Makuro 
Slavery  will  be  born  again  with  depths  the  an- 
cients never  knew. 

Shun 

But  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  is  growing. 

Makuro 
Power    has    no    brothers !     It    was    you    who 
taught  me  that,  Yu  Tai  Shun. 

Shun 
Do  you  forget  that  we  built  our  republic  with 
the  aid  of  these  same  princes  of  power  ? 

Ching 
We  forget  nothing.     They  let  us  beat  down  the 
throne  because  they  could  not  use  it — a  rigid  tra- 
dition— but  the  republic — they  are  the  republic  ! 

Shun 
Can  we  not  trust  a  little  ?  In  our  greatest  need, 
alien  hands  have  reached  out  to  help  us.  And 
we  have  true  hearts  among  our  Chinese  lords. 
Not  all  have  joined  with  the  invader  to  herd  the 
people  into  slave-yards.  Pei  Chen-Ping  and  Sa 
Yi  are  most  liberal.  You,  Prince  Ching,  and  those 
you  gather  to  you,  have  hearts  like  the  rising  sun. 
And  the  noble  princes  of  the  house  of  Wong — have 
they  not  given  me  my  bride  ? 

[61] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Ching 

Ay,  when  your  sighs  had  blown  around  the 

world  for  seven   years,   they  yielded  her.     You 

were  a  power  to  be  checked,  and  they  set  a  woman 

in  your  path. 

Shun 

No! 

Ching 

It  was  a  Japanese  from  the  Fushun  collieries,  a 

Russian  prince  of  the  Northern  railways,  a  French 

buyer  of  Yunnan  copper,  a  British  ship-baron  of 

Hongkong,  and  the  Chinese  owners  of  the  un- 

worked  gold  veins  of  Szechuan,  who  went  to  the 

brothers  of  Wong  Fe  and  said:  "Give  Yu  Tai 

Shun  his  bride." 

Shun 

It  was  you  who  spoke  for  me ! 

Ching 
You  had  no  father,  and  in  my  heart  you  were 
my  son.  I  spoke  for  you  because  I  believed  in 
you.  I  did  not  think  that  any  bribe  could  lure 
you  from  us.  Yours  was  a  soul  that  we  thought 
would  be  a  torch  to  every  nation  of  earth.  And 
you  choose  to  go  out  like  a  candle  in  the  breath  of 
a  woman. 

(Yu  Tai  Shun  is  bowed  and  silent,     Makuro 
touches  his  sleeve.) 

[62] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Makuro 
Come  with  us,  master. 

Ching 
In  half  an  hour  the  boat  will  stop  at  the  orchard 
pier  for  Makuro.    He  starts  for  Japan.     It  is 
there  you  are  needed. 

Makuro 
I  come  from  our  friends  with  their  summons. 
Japan's  oligarchy  of  traders,  with  every  means 
known  to  power — school,  religion,  racial  pride  and 
hate — is  fostering  the  spirit  of  war.  All  the  seeds 
of  the  jungle  are  being  deliberately  sown  once  more 
in  men's  hearts.  They  are  preparing  Japan  to 
hold  the  largest  share  of  an  industrially  broken 
China  and  weld  her  millions  into  one  instrument 
of  hate  against  the  West. 

Shun 
A  pigmy's  dream ! 

Ching 
A  dream  that  will  come  true  if  our  giants  con- 
tinue to  sleep. 

Makuro 

It  is  the  menace  of  America  that  Japan  holds 
before  her  people  till  their  hearts  roll  with  fear, 
their  brains  grow  sick  with  rage.  America,  who 
has  insulted  us  with  exclusion — who  has  snatched 

[63] 


THE    JOURNEY 

an  island  chain  from  our  Eastern  waters,  and  shot, 
starved,  imprisoned  thousands  ignorant  enough 
and  brave  enough  to  resist  her.  That  is  the 
America  my  people  are  taught  to  believe  in.  But 
you  know  a  different  America,  where  people  love 
honor  and  hate  war — whose  religion  is  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself.  Come,  teach  them  of  that 
America !  You  are  known  in  a  million  homes  of 
Japan.  You  have  taught  us  to  love  you,  and 
where  we  love,  we  listen. 

Shun  {with  great  effort) 

I  cannot  go.     If  I  part  from  Wong  Fe  the  blood 
will  leave  my  veins  and  flow  back  to  her. 
Makuro 

Then  take  her  with  you. 
Shun 

You  know  what  this  journey  means. 
Ching 

Yes,  you  must  go  free.    With  such  a  weight  you 

would  be  useless.     I  will  take  Wong  Fe  to  her 

brothers. 

Shun 

I  shall  hold  her  forever ! 

Ching 
You  think  joy  can  last  so  long  ?     {To  Makuro, 
shrugging.)     A  boy  yet ! 

[64] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Shun 
In  Japan  you  have  my  young  scholar,  Onoto. 
All  my  knowledge  I  have  given  him.     In  his  heart 
is  my  purpose,  his  eyes  hold  my  vision. 
Makuro 

0"°'«'  Shun 

His  years  are  younger,  his  flame  will  leap  higher. 
I  am  only  one  who  fails  you.     In  every  nation 
our  numbers  are  growing.     Do  not  fear  for  hu- 
manity.   Our  brothers  are  everywhere. 
Makuro 
You  say  Onoto  ? 

Shun 

He  has  the  gift  of  the  shining  word — the  word 
that  draws  the  heart  as  a  full  moon  at  sea  draws 
the  eye.  I  can  turn  my  back  on  the  world  and 
rob  it  of  nothing,  for  I  have  given  it  Onoto. 
Ching  • 
How  long  have  you  been  chirping  here  like  a 
cricket  under  a  leaf,  with  no  news  from  the  road- 
side ?  Shun 

It  is  three  weeks  to-day  since  I  brought  Wong 
Fe  to  the  door  of  my  fathers. 
Ching 
Three  weeks !    On  the  very  day  of  your  joy 
Onoto  was  thrown  into  prison. 

[65] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Shun 
They  would  not  dare ! 

Makuro 
They  did  dare. 

Shun 
In  prison — Onoto ! 

Makuro 
No,  he  is  not  now  in  prison. 

Shun 
Free? 

Makuro 

The  enmity  of  the  powers  was  bitter.  Every- 
where he  was  sowing  the  seed  of  peace.  In  many 
a  house  the  ancestral  sword  was  broken  at  his 

^^'^'^'"g-  Shun 

But  he  is  free  ? 

Makuro 

Yesterday  {glances  out  at  the  stars),  at  this  hour, 
he  was  shot. 

Shun  {slowly  comprehending) 
Then  I  have  been  twenty-four  hours  dead. 
{He  steps  uncertainly  out  to  the  little  porch. 
They  gaze  at  the  floor,  respecting  his  grief. 
Wong  Fe  makes  a  motion  to  follow  him. 
Ching  stops   her  with  a  gesture,   and  she 
shrinks  back.     Yu  Tai  Shun  re-enters.) 
[66] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Shun 
Your  mercy,  friends.     {Crosses  lefty  to  exit.) 

Ching 
You  will  go  with  us  now  ? 

Shun  {turns  and  hurls  the  word) 
No! 

{An  instant  of  silence  follows  his  exit,  then 
Wong  Fe  comes  forward.) 

Wong  Fe 
Peace  to  your  hearts,  honorable  friends  of  Yu 
Tai  Shun !     He  will  depart  with  you. 

Ching 
Not  yet.     We  must  wait.     Invisible  chains  can- 
not be  broken.     But  they  will  disunite  of  them- 
selves.    Then  he  will  come. 

Wong  Fe 
I  will  send  him  with  you  to-night. 

Ching 
You  send  him  ? 

Wong  Fe 
Do  you  think  I  will  divide  his  life  so  that  the 
two  halves  can  bear  no  fruit  ?    That  I  will  wait 
until  he  hates  me  for  that  ruin  ? 

Ching  {with  laughter) 
Hates  you,  oh  princess ! 
[67] 


THE    JOURNEY 

Wong  Fe 

Wait  till  I  must  glean  in  his  heart  behind  a  spent 

passion  ? — like  a  poor  widow  in  the  track  of  a 

grain-cart  ? 

Ching 

The .  coral  of  your  lips  will  defeat  their  com- 
mand, Wong  Fe.  Near  you  he  is  a  dry  fagot 
seized  by  a  flame. 

Wong  Fe 

I  tell  you  he  will  go !  Wait  in  the  orchard  un- 
til you  hear  the  first  whistle  of  the  boat.  Then 
come  for  him.  He  will  be  ready.  Go,  honorable 
friends !    He  is  returning. 

Ching 
It  is  useless.    Your  words  may  bite  like  winter, 
but  his  eyes  will  see  only  the  Spring  morning. 

Wong  Fe 
Go,  I  beg  you,  go ! 

{They  pass  out  down  the  steps  of  porch.  Wong 
Fe  hurries  to  a  small  table ^  opens  a  lacquered 
box  and  takes  from  it  a  stiletto  y  which  she  hides 
in  the  folds  of  her  sleeve.  She  is  dancing  as 
Yu  Tai  Shun  enters y  and  sings  as  she  dances^ 

The  thousand  odors  of  Spring 

Are  the  thousand  arms  of  love. 

[68] 


THE    JOURNEY 

They  find  thee  in  the  valleys, 

On  the  crest  of  the  hills  they  reach  thee; 

Till  Spring  bear  no  fragrance 

Thou  canst  not  escape  them, 

The  thousand  arms  of  love  ! 

The  orchard  pool  is  a  pillow, 

A  pillow  for  the  twin  lotus. 

And  the  wings  of  the  flying  geese 

Are  warm  in  the  air  of  heaven; 

They  drop  to  the  shadowy  lake-sedge. 

For  sweet  looks  the  earth  from  the  roads  of  the  sky, 

And  in  heaven  are  no  cool  grasses. 

Ever  listening 

Are  the  leaves  of  the  slim  dryanda. 

Whose  heart  is  the  harp  of  the  Spring- wind. 

A  dryanda-tree  is  my  lover. 

And  my  thoughts  are  the  leaves  that  listen. 

Autumn,  Autumn,  touch  not  my  leaf-thoughts ! 

Cast  them  not  down  when  the  pool  is  grey. 

And  the  teal  no  more  sail  two  and  two 

With  their  breasts  above  one  shadow. 

Shun 
Come  to  me,  Wong  Fe !     I  feel  that  you  have 
blown  through  my  door  like  a  rose  petal,  and  will 

[69] 


THE    JOURNEY 

drift  away  again,  leaving  me  not  a  footprint  to 

kiss. 

tVong  Fe 

Neither  in  life  nor  in  death  shall  I  leave  you, 

my  lord.     Though  I  seem  to  die,  and  these  graces 

that  please  you  fall  to  earth  like  willow-blossoms, 

it  is  not  I  that  will  lie  on  the  sand. 

Shun 

Why  do  you  speak  of  death,  Wong  Fe  ? 

Wong  Fe 

Because  I  am  so  happy.     The  sages  say  that 

we  can  have  no  fairer  fortune  than  to  die  in  our 

happiest  moment. 

Shun 

Do  not  speak  of  death.     The  word  blisters  the 

air,  though  your  lips  be   as   two  drops  of  June 

Wong  Fe 
But  how  sweet  to  die  when  I  am  fairest  in  your 
eyes !     Every  year,  at  this  time,  you  would  walk 
down  the  peach-flower  lanes  and  recall  the  glow 
of  my  cheek.     Oh,  Heaven,  let    me    not    be    a 
faded  wife  in  the  blooming  time  of  the  year ! 
Shun 
Thy  soul,  Wong  Fe,  is  the  flower  of  my  worship. 

Wong  Fe 
And  death  would  give  my  soul  wholly  to  you. 
[70] 


THE    JOURNEY 

I  should  be  near  you  always.  Then  morning 
would  not  call  you  to  the  peaks,  leaving  me  be- 
hind in  the  tear-dew. 

Shun 

To-morrow  we  shall  go  together.    Your  shadow 
will  be  with  mine  on  the  rocks,  and  under  the  fir- 
trees  we  shall  forget  the  valley. 
Wong  Fe 

And  the  world  ?  Oh,  my  lord,  there  are  dis- 
tances farther  than  the  peaks  of  Siang,  and  they 
will  call  you  from  me.  It  cannot  be  that  you 
who  have  known  all  lands  will  be  content  with  one. 
I  would  see  the  strange  people  you  have  made 
your  brothers,  would  listen  to  their  dreams,  and 
read  the  future  with  their  hearts.  There  are 
dangers  you  would  not  let  my  body  share — I  do 
not  ask  that — but  my  soul,  you  could  forbid  it 

nothing. 

^  Shun 

What   have   you   heard  ?     What   has   Makuro 

said  to  you  ? 

Wong  Fe 

What  should  he  say  but  that  the  cakes  were 

good,  and  the  tea  had  the  flavor  of  the  fields  of 

Hunan  ? 

Shun 

We  must  join  our  friends.     Where  do  they  wait  ? 
[71] 


THE    JOURNEY 

JVong  Fe 
They  listen  for  the  boat  that  will  stop  at  the 
foot   of  the   orchard.     Why   do   they   go  ?    Old 
friends  should  not  be  so  brief  in  greeting.     Could 
they  not  stay  one  night  ? 
Shun 
No — no.     {Sits  down.)     They  must  go. 

Wong  Fe  {laying  her  hand  on  his  shoulder) 
What  voice  dost  thou  hear,  and  wilt  not  answer  ? 

Shun 
Nothing — nothing. 

Wong  Fe 
You  will  not  long  be  deaf  between  the  beating 
of  our  two  hearts.     You  will  hear  and  go.     That 
is  why  I  long  for  the  death-fairy  to  come  in  my 
hour  of  happiness.     You  have  joined  with  strong 
men  to  lift  a  heavy  yoke  from  the  world.     My 
smiles  cannot   feed  your  spirit.     Go  with  your 
friends.     Let  the  whistle  of  the  boat  part  us. 
Shun 
The  cassia- tree  may  draw  itself  from  earth,  and 
walk  on  feet  of  roots  through  the  world,  but  I  can- 
not divide  my  days  from  yours,  for  you  are  my- 
self, Wong  Fe. 

Wong  Fe  {resigned) 
I  believe  you,  my  lord.     We  shall  not  part. 
[72] 


THE    JOURNEY 

But  what  joy  it  would  be  to  die  now  in  your  pres- 
ence, while  the  love-cup  is  full !  Oh,  I  could  not 
meet  death  alone !  You  know  the  poor  ghost  in 
the  song  who  died  in  the  absence  of  her  lover  ? 
She  is  always  pleading  to  be  allowed  to  die  again 
when  his  arms  may  be  around  her.  So  would  my 
ghost  go  wailing  if  I  lost  your  kiss  in  death. 
{Touches  his  cheek.)  Is  that  a  tear,  Yu  Tai  Shun  ? 
I  torture  you  because  I  am  so  happy !  You  shall 
laugh,  my  prince !  I  know  a  new  game  we  shall 
play.  Little  So  Siu  taught  it  to  me  to-day.  She 
says  it  is  an  American  game.  We  call  it  "Guess 
behind  you !  '*  You  turn  your  back — like  that — 
and  you  must  tell  me  what  I  am  doing.  When 
you  miss  three  times,  then  I  shall  tell  you  what 
you  must  pay.     Now — what  is  it  I  do  ? 

Shun 
You  throw  me  a  kiss. 

Wong  Fe 
So  I  do  !    And  now,  my  souFs  light  ? 

{Takes  stiletto  from  her  sleeve.  The  whistle 
of  the  boat  is  heard.  He  turns.  She  hides 
stiletto.) 

Shun 
Our  friends  are  going. 

[73] 


THE    JOURNEY 

JVong  Fe 
But  wait — there  is  time.     You  must  guess  once 
more  !    Oh,  you  are  slow  as  ten  turns  of  a  river ! 
There ! 

{Turns  his  head  with  her  hands ^  then  snatches 
the  stiletto,  stabs  herself  and  falls.    He  turns  y 
kneels  dazedly ,  and  takes  her  in  his  arms 
as  she  dies,     Ching  and  Makuro  enter,) 
Ching 
The  boat —     (Stops  in  consternation,) 

Makuro  {softly) 
Master,  I  did  not  ask  this  price. 

Shun  {rising) 
It  is  paid. 

(curtain) 


[74] 


EVERYCHILD 
A  PLAY  OR  PAGEANT 

BY 

Frederick  Peterson 

AND 

Olive  Tilford  Dargan 


DRAMATIS  PERSONS 

Scene  I.  The  Garden  of  Joy 

Cho-Cho  The  Clown 

Everychild 

Mother,  Father,  and  dancing  children 
Scene  II,  Sweatshop 

Father,  Mother,  three  children,  Every- 
child 
Scene  III.        The  Farmstead 

Jim   the   Father,   Mary   the   Mother, 
Billie,  Tom,  and  Rosie,  their  chil- 
dren.    Cho-Cho  and  Everychild 
Scene  IV.         The  Coal-mine 

Joe,  Jack,  Bert — three  old  miners  and 
two  boys 
Final  Scene.     Same  as  first  scene 

Cho-Cho,  Everychild,  Mother,  Father. 
Old  group  of  children  and  new  group 
with  Everychild 


PROLOGUE 

BY   CHO-CHO 

Good  people ! 
This  is  the  Play  of  Everychild 
With  Cho-Cho 
As  Author  and  Manager. 
The  play  has  defects — 
It  has  good  points — 
And  bad  points — 
Like  the  world  itself — 
Like  life ! 

Perhaps  the  author  of  the  world 
Is  something  like  me, 
A  little  grotesque, 
A  little  whimsical. 
Serious  often. 

Sometimes  all  the  more  serious 
Seen  through  a  Fool's  words 
With  cap  and  jingle  of  bells. 
In  this  droll  world 
There  are  lots  of  children 
Who  are  the  children  of  fools — 
Like  me. 

[77] 


EVERYCHILD 

Good  people ! 
I  bespeak  your  patience 
With  Everychild 
Daughter  of  a  Clown. 


[78] 


EVERYCHILD 

Scene  I:  Stage  dark  as  curtain  rises.  Moderate 
starlight  and  quiet  music  of  cradle-song  type. 
Little  fairies  come  out  dancing  in  the  darkness 
with  firefly  lamps  and  sing  the  following  cradle 
song : 

Some  one  is  sleeping 

Out  in  the  dark 
Where  fireflies  glimmer 

Spark  upon  spark. 

Some  little  stranger 

Come  from  afar 
Under  the  glory 

Of  moon  and  of  star. 

Deep  in  the  blossoms 

That  drift  as  they  fall 
Some  one  is  sleeping 

And  stirs  not  at  all. 

Sleep,  little  stranger ! 

The  night  is  near  gone; 
Sleep,  little  stranger. 

But  dream  of  the  dawn ! 
[79] 


EVERYCHILD 

The  dim  light  reveals  a  dark  figure  lying  on  the  mosses 
at  the  foot  of  an  old  tree.  As  the  light  grows 
gradually  stronger  the  dark  object  begins  to  move^ 
to  slowly  take  of  one  after  another  of  black  cov- 
erings y  revealing  a  little  girl  of  nine  or  ten  years y 
dressed  in  white.  She  rubs  her  eyes,  looks  about 
wonderinglyy  and  slowly  rises  to  a  standing 
position.  Meanwhile  the  earth  grows  more 
luminous  and  roseate.  The  birds  have  begun 
to  twitter  now  and  then  before  the  dawn,  and 
their  notes  increase  in  number  and  variety  with 
the  approach  of  morning.  The  growing  light 
reveals  an  orchard  of  old  apple-trees  near  at 
hand  in  full  bloomy  with  petals  fallingy  and  hills 
and  mountains  lifting  and  towering  upward 
higher  and  higher  into  the  blue  distance.  A 
path  leads  from  the  orchard  up  the  near  hills 
and  toward  the  heights.  The  music  has  grown 
loudery  and  is  sweet  and  tendery  interspersed 
with  bird  notes.  A  number  of  childreny  girls 
and  boySy  come  out  and  sing  and  dance  under 
the  blossoms  of  the  apple-trees.  They  sing  the 
children  s  song: 

We  are  of  the  sunrise 
Flower-breath  and  dew, 
[80] 


EVERYCHILD 

Travelling  wider  circles 
Of  blue  beyond  the  blue. 

Seeking  strength  of  spirit, 

Happiness  and  joy — 
Heritage  decreed  for 

Every  girl  and  boy. 

Music  of  the  moonbeams 

And  the  orchard  rain, 
Music  of  the  meadows 

Waving  with  the  grain, 

Mountains  in  the  sunlight. 

Colors  of  the  flowers. 
Trailing  cloud  and  shadow — 

All  of  these  are  ours. 

We  are  of  the  sunrise 

Flower-breath  and  dew, 
Travelling  wider  circles 

Of  blue  beyond  the  blue. 

The  little  girl  in  the  foreground  looks  with  wonder 
and  delight  at  the  entrancing  spectacle.  She 
has  her  side  to  the  audience.  She  raises  her 
armSy  listens ^  rubs  her  eyeSy  smiles  with  joy. 
She  touches  the  grass,  the  flowers,  the  trees, 
[81] 


EVERYCHILD 

picks  up  and  smells  the  falling  apple-blossoms. 
She  begins  to  dance  like  the  other  children.  One 
of  them  sees  her  and  runs  toward  her  with  arms 
outstretched.  The  newcomer  touches  her  hair 
and  her  hands.  They  smile  at  each  other.  The 
little  girl  leads  the  stranger  toward  the  others 
and  has  her  join  in  the  dance.  The  dancing  is 
in  the  Greek  manner.  They  play  with  a  lights 
large y  bubble-like  balloon. 

Little  Girl 
What  is  your  name  ? 

Stranger 
I  do  not  understand. 

Little  Girl 
Oh,  of  course,  I   forgot.     I  will  lead  you  to 
some  one  who  will  give  you  a  name. 

(A  man  and  woman  have  come  slowly  through 
the  orchard  and  seated  themselves  on  a  bench 
under  an  apple-tree.     Two  or  three  of  the 
children  lead  the  stranger  up  to  them.) 
Stranger  {feeling  of  the  hair  and  gown  of 
the  woman 
Who  are  you  ? 

Woman  {smiling) 
I  am  your  mother. 

[82] 


EVERYCHILD 

Stranger   {feeling  of  the  hair  and  face 

and  garments  of  the  man) 

Who  are  you  ? 

Man 
I  am  your  father. 

Stranger 

What  place  is  this  ?    They  told  me  somewhere 

— but  I  have  forgotten — that  I  should  die  there 

which  is  being  born  here  and  come  to  the  earth. 

Mother 

Yes,  this  is  our  world,  and  I  shall  give  you  a 

name.     I  shall  name  you  Everychild. 

Everychild 

Is  it  always  and  everywhere  so  beautiful  ? 

Mother 

No,  but  it  should  be  so,  and  some  day  it  will 

be  so.  Y?  ^7 

rather 

It  is  a  dream  we  have. 

Mother 
It  will  be  even  more  beautiful  than  this,  for  we 
shall  go  higher,  and  climb  those  Morning  Moun- 
tains.    The  flowers  of  the  Spirit  grow  there. 
Everychild 
And  we  shall  gather  them  ^ 

Father 
Yes,  Everychild.     Come  now,  and  bring  all  the 
[83] 


EVERYCHILD 

others  with  you.     We  will  take  that  path  yonder 

to  the  hills. 

Mother 

No,  wait !    They  are  not  all  here.     There  are 
some  missing.     They  must  all  come. 
Father 

It  will  be  so  long  to  wait.     Let  us  go  with  these. 

Mother  {laying  her  hand  on  Everychild*s  head) 

Have  we  not  named  her  Everychild  ? 
Father 

Yes.     She  must  go  down  and  find  all  who  have 

lost   their  way.     Perhaps  some  have    awakened 

in  the  wrong  place  and  are  wandering  about  in 

the  dark  jungle  of  the  world.     We  will  wait  here 

till  they  come. 

Mother 

Go,  Everychild.     Find  them  and  bring  them 

all  back  with  you.     Take  this  lamp.     {Hands  her 

a  rose-colored  lamp^  etc.) 

Father 
Our  lamp  ? 

Mother 
Our  love ! 

Father 

Take  it,  Everychild.  With  this  lamp  you  can 
find  the  lost  children  and  bring  them  all  back  with 
you. 

[84] 


EVERYCHILD 

Mother 
We  will  wait  for  them  no  matter  how  long. 
(EvERYCHiLD  Starts  down  along  a  path  leading 
of  the  stage  to  the  right — the  music  and  sing- 
ing continue  through  the  whole  scene.  Cho- 
Cho  appears  y  rights  for  a  moment  and  points 
her  path  to  her  saying:  ''This  way,  Every- 
childr) 

(curtain  falls) 

Curtain  rises  revealing 
Scene  II:  A  squalid  room  in  a  city  tenement ,  a 
miserable   stove ,  a    bedraggled  bed.     Right,  a 
table  at  which  a  poorly  dressed  man  and  woman 
are  working  fast  and  feverishly.     Three  children 
of  about  four,  eight,  and  ten  years  sit  on  a  bench, 
left,  sewing  as  fast  as  they  can,  looking  tired, 
depressed,    weary.    It    is    evening,    the    room 
poorly  lit.     Noises  from  the  street,  street  calls, 
rumbling  of  vehicles,  honk  of  autos,  etc.,  etc. 
The  Younger  Child 
Ma,  can  I  go  to  bed  ?    I  am  so  tired  and  hungry. 

Mother 
It  ain't  ten  yet.     It  will  be  only  a  few  minutes 
more.    The  boss  is  coming  early  in  the  morning 
and  we  must  have  the  work  ready.     Now  you  be 

[85] 


EVERYCHILD 

still  and  keep  working.  You  don't  know  what  a 
good  home  you  got.  Ain't  she  got  a  good  home, 
John? 

Father 
You  bet  she  got  a  good  home,  and  if  you  all  work 
now  we  get  the  good  coffee  and  bread  in  the  morn- 
ing and  perhaps  in  a  couple  a  weeks  we  all  go  to 
the  movies. 

Oldest  Child 
Gee,  I  like  to  see  that  fairy  play  what  we  see 
once. 

{Bell  strikes  ten,) 

Mother 
Now,  go  right  to  bed,  children.     It  is  ten  o'clock. 

{Takes  light  and  goes  with  husband  into  room 
right.  Children  undress  and  scramble  into 
one  bed,) 

{Street  noises  all  discontinue^  back  of  room 
opens  out  on  to  the  orchard  and  the  music  of 
first  scene  is  heard  with  dancing  children, 
EvERYCHiLD  comcs  into  the  room  with  her 
rosy  lamp.  The  three  children  sit  up  in  bed 
and  rub  their  eyes,  Everychild  glides 
all  about  the  room  and  looks  at  the  squalid 
place  in  dismay^  then  goes  up  and  smiles  at 
the  children^ 

[86] 


EVERYCHILD 

Everychild 
You  are  some  of  the  lost  children.    How  did 
you  get  in  here  ?    Come  with  me.    I  will  give  you 
some  better  clothes  and  you  can  dance  and  sing 
with  all  of  them. 

(They  get  out  of  bed  and  she  leads  them  in  won- 
der and  joy  out  into  the  orchard^ 
(curtain  falls) 

Scene  III:  Plain  interior  of  a  farmer  s  kitchen  with 
farmer's  wife  busy  over  stove^  and  kitchen  table 
set  for  lunch  for  two.  Adjacent  room,  left,  small 
bedroom  in  which  lies  a  pallid  thin  child  in  bed 
with  dishes  and  bottles  on  little  bedside  table. 
Very  little  light.  Curtains  to  a  single  window 
down.  Farmer  in  overalls  comes  in,  looking 
hot  and  tired.  He  throws  hat  on  chair,  says 
''Hullo,  Mary,  dinner  ready?''  and  proceeds 
to  wash  hands  and  face  in  a  basin  on  a  stool. 
Then  sits  down  at  the  table, 

Mary  {bringing  food  from  stove  and  sitting 
down  opposite) 
Here   we   are,   Jim.     Guess   you*re  ready   for 
something.     It  takes  a  man  to  sprout  a  patch  o' 
locusts,  and  you  had  breakfast  by  lamplight. 

[87] 


EVERYCHILD 

Jim 

Some  o*  them  roots  seemed  as  long  as  from  here 

to  the  barn. 

Mary 

But  you'll  have  the  best  pasture  in  the  county 

next  year.  «v- 

What's  the  good  ?  We  rationed  our  beef  steers 
the  way  that  government  chap  taught  us,  and 
our  pigs,  and  our  sheep,  and  who  got  the  profit  ? 
Mary 
A  lot  more  documents  came  from  the  govern- 
ment to-day — all  about  pigs.  And  we  haven't 
got  a  decent  house  to  live  in !  If  we  could  only 
build  on  that  pretty  bit  of  high  ground  I've  had 
picked  out  for  three  years,  Rosie  would  quit 
havin'  these  sick  spells. 

Jim 
How  is  she,  mother  ? 

Mary 
I  b'lieve  she's  a  little  better.     Jim,  have  you 
got  any  money  left  from  sellin'  the  car  ? 

Jim 
You  know  we  had  to  pay  the  interest  at  the 
bank  first  of  all,  and  the  rest  went  for  fertilizer. 
Mary 
I  miss  the  car  more  on  Rosie's  account  than 
[88] 


EVERYCHILD 

mine.  She's  been  cryin'  for  a  ride  this  morning. 
I  didn't  know  what  to  say.  And  I  had  to  promise 
her  she  could  go  to  the  picnic  if  she  got  well. 
That'll  mean  a  pretty  dress,  and  hat  and  shoes. 

Jim 
I  don't  know  where  you'll  get  'em  then. 

Mary 
Looks  like  we  ought  to  be  able  to  give  our  chil- 
dren a  little  pleasure.  There's  poor  Billie  and 
Tom  don't  more'n  get  home  from  school  an'  lay 
their  books  down  till  they  have  to  go  to  hoein'  and 
pullin'  weeds.  I  don't  blame  Billie  a  bit  for 
runnin'  away  and  goin'  iishin'  last  Saturday. 

Jim 
I  don't  either,  though  I  had  to  whip  him  for  it.  ■ 
I  can't  do  without  his  work  and  get  through. 

Mary 
Get  through  ?  When  did  we  ever  get  through 
anyhow  ?  Look  at  this,  Jim.  {Picks  up  paper  and 
points  to  paragraph.)  Beef  steers  sold  to-day  in 
Chicago  at  nine  cents  a  pound.  It  cost  us  four- 
teen cents  to  raise  ours,  and  we're  countin*  on 
makin'  things  easier  by  raisin'  more  next  year. 
And  see  here,  it  says  beef  went  up  in  the  Eastern 
market  four  cents. 

[89] 


EVERYCHILD 

Jim 
Steers  down,  beef  up  !     Robbin'  both  ways. 
(Enter  Billie  and  Tom  with  schoolbooks,  which 
they  throw  down,  shouting:  ''We  got  a  half- 
holiday  r) 

Billie 
The  big  boys  are  goin'  to  play  ball.     Dad,  can't 
we  go  watch  'em  ?     (Mary  and  Jim  look  at  each 
other ^ 

We  ain't  seen  a  ball  game  this  year,  and  we  want 
to  learn  to  play.   They're  makin'  a  little  boys'  team 

at  school. 

Mary 

Daddy's  workin'  awfully  hard  to-day.   He  needs 

you  bad  to  pile  brush  for  him. 

Jim 
You  can't  go  to-day,  boys.     Next  time 

Billie  (hopeless) 
Oh,  next  time !     It's  always  next  time. 

Mary 
Wash  up  now,  and  you  can  have  a  hot  dinner. 
(^hey  wash  listlessly,) 

Jim 

Mary,  I  think  you'd  better  telephone  for  the 
doctor  to  come  and  have  a  look  at  Rosie. 

[90] 


EVERYCHILD 

Mary  (hesitating) 
I  did — this  morning.     He  said  he  didn't  have 
time  to  come  out  to-day. 

Jim 
Dr.  Lowden  ? 

Mary 
Guess  he's  tired  o'  comin'  for  nothing.     You 
can't  blame  him. 

(Jim  hangs  his  head,  A  knock  at  the  door, 
Jim  rises  and  opens  it.  Cho-Cho  enters 
giggling  and  grimacing  while  the  farmer  and 
his  wife  are  speechless  with  amazement^ 

Cho-Cho 
You  sent  for  a  doctor  ? 

Jim 
Yes — but — you — ain't — no  doctor. 

Cho-Cho 
No,  I — ain't — no — doctor  {mimicking)^  but  my 
daughter  is  a  doctor  and  here  she  is  now. 

{Enter  Everychild  disguised  as  a  doctor,  with 
a  long  black  cape  hiding  her  white  dress,  a  pair 
of  goggles  over  her  eyes,  a  long  white  beard,  a 
white  wig,  a  man's  hat  on,  a  little  black  bag 
in  her  hands,) 

[91] 


EVERYCHILD 

Jim  (tearing  his  hair  distractedly) 
You  say  that  little  old  man  is  your  daughter  and 
a  doctor  ? 

Cho-Cho 

That's  right — but  a  new  kind  of  doctor.  This  is 
a  Health  doctor,  not  a  Disease  doctor.  Present 
treatment  for  Health — absent  treatment  for  ab- 
sence of  Health.  {Ha — ha — hee — hee!)  I'll  leave 
the  doctor  here.     {Goes  out.) 

Everychild 
Well,  well,  where  is  the  patient  ?     {Putting  hat 
on  chair.) 

Jim 

I  must  be  crazy,  but  I  never  seen  a  doctor  like 
you.     You  ain't  no  doctor. 

Everychild 
Oh,  yes  I  am.  I'm  a  children's  specialist.  Is  she 
in  that  room  ?  {Goes  to  door  and  opens  it — draws 
back  a  little.)  Whew !  No  air.  Lift  up  that  cur- 
tain and  open  the  window!  (Jim  does  it,  rather 
aghast.)  You  must  show  me  where  you  keep  your 
pigs.  Don't  they  get  light  and  air  on  a  day  like 
this  ?  {Goes  toward  bed  as  Rosie  rises  up  in  bed  and 
stares  with  a  smile  at  the  little  doctor^  So  this  is  the 
little  patient.  Well !  Well !  {Lifts  up  and  looks 
at  the  bottles.)     Take  these  and  throw  them  out. 

[92] 


EVERYCHILD 

{Hands  them  to  Mary,  who  takes  them  out  and 
returns^  My!  My!  Pork  and  potatoes  and 
candy !  Of  all  things !  Til  have  to  make  out  a 
diet  list  later.  {Feels  pulse — listens  to  her  chest,) 
I  think  the  trouble  with  you  is  bad  food,  bad  air, 
and  no  light.  The  trouble  is  not  enough  agri- 
cultural pamphlets  on  human  live  stock,  not 
enough  government  millions  spent  on  the  real 
thing.  Now  get  up.  Rose !  Let  me  see  you  stand. 
There,  that's  good.  Now  a  comb  and  brush — 
we'll  help  this  hair  a  little. 

Mary  {handing  Everychild  a  comb  and  brush) 

My  hands  are  so  full  of  work 

Everychild  {arranging  Rosie's  hair) 

Yes,  that's  better.  Now,  father,  a  glass  of 
milk  !  (Jim  goes  into  kitchen,)  And  mother,  open 
that  bag,  please. 

{While  Mary  opens  bag,  Jim  returns  with  glass 
of  milk,  which  Rosie  drinks,) 

Mary 
Oh,  my ! 

{Takes  out  pretty  dress ,  stockings  and  slippers, 

which  she  lifts  up,  looks  at  delightedly,  and 

carries  to  the  doctor,) 

Rosie 

Oh,  mother  !     You  did  get  them  ! 

[93] 


EVERYCHILD 

(EvERYCHiLD  wovks  fast,  sHps  the  gown  on 

the  patient  with  the  stockings  and  slippers^ 

while  RosiE  smiles  happily^  though  dazed 
by  the  splendor  of  it,) 

Rosie 
Are  you  going  to  take  me  to  the  picnic  ? 

Everychild 
Indeed  I  am  !    A  picnic  that  will  never  be  over ! 

Rosie 

Are  we  going  to  ride  ?    Have  we  got  our  car 

back  ? 

Everychild 

Better  than  that. 

Rosie 
What  is  it  ? 

Everychild 

You'll   see.     Maybe   you'll  dance  out  of  the 

window. 

Mary 

Are  you  going  to  take  her  away  ? 

Everychild 
Yes,  I  shall  keep  her  with  me  until  she  is  well. 
Then  she  will  return  to  you. 

{Takes  out  of  the  bag  the  rosy  lamp  and  waves  it. 
Throws  aside  her  cap  and  pulls  off  goggles y 
wigy  and  beard.     The  back  wall  moves  away, 
[94] 


EVERYCHILD 

revealing  the  first  scene  with  the  same  strains 

of  music  and  the  dancing  children   in  the 

orchard,     Everychild  leads  Rosie  out  to 

join  them,     Billie  and  Tom  move  after  them 

calling :  "  Let  us  go  with  you!     Take  us  with 

you!") 

Rosie 

Oh,  please  take  Billie  and  Tom ! 

Everychild 
Yes,  I  want  them,  too.     Come  along,  boys ! 
{They  shout  and  run  after  Rosie  and  Every- 
child.) 

Mary 

Oh,  Jim,  is  this  a  dream  ?    Or  am  I  awake  at 
last  ? 

Jim  {putting  his  hand  to  his  head,  dazedly) 

Perhaps  this  is  what  it  ought  to  be  for  all  the 
children  of  the  world. 

(curtain  falls) 

Scene  IV:  Interior  of  a  coal-mine,  lit  only  by 
lamps  on  the  heads  of  three  men  and  two  boys, 
about  twelve  and  fourteen  years,  the  men  busy 
at  work  getting  the  coal  down  with  picks,  the 
boys  shovelling  coal  into  a  car.  They  work  a 
few  minutes.  Distant  muffled  sound  of  a  steam- 
[95] 


EVERYCHILD 

whistle.  They  immediately  drop  tools  and  go 
to  corner  and  pick  up  each  a  can^  paper  bag^  or 
small  baskety  and  sit  down  to  eat. 

One  Man 
Lunch-time.     It  feels  good  to  rest  half  an  hour 
in  this  bloomin*  hole.     {Takes  a  drink  from  a  bottle 
he  brings  from  his  pocket  and  hands  to  another,) 
Have  a  swig,  Jack  ? 

Jack 
Don't  care  if  I  do.     {Takes  a  swallow,)     V\\ 
bring  some  next  time,  Joe. 

Joe  {passing  bottle  to  the  other) 
Here,  Bert,  it  helps.    Take  some  and  give  a 
swallow  to  the  boys. 

Bert 
ril  take  some  and  thank  you,  but  I  guess  the 
boys  are  better  off  without  it. 

Jack 
How  long  you  worked  here,  Bert  ? 

Bert 
Nigh  on  fifteen  years,  and  a  devil's  job  it  is.  I 
wanted  to  be  a  sailor,  but  I  got  into  this,  and  it 
paid  pretty  good,  and  then  I  got  tangled  up  with 
a  family  and  just  stayed  on  the  job.  But  it's  no 
place  to  spend  a  life.     {Coughs,) 

[96] 


EVERYCHILD 

Joe 
I  been  here  *bout  as  long  as  you,  Bert.  I  ran 
away  from  the  big  woods  where  my  father  was  a 
lumberman.  Thought  I'd  see  the  world,  and  just 
got  stuck  here  and  never  could  make  up  my  mind 
to  get  away.  See  the  world,  eh !  All  I  ever  seed 
was  de  inside  of  it.  If  I  had  my  way  to  do  over 
again,  I  think  Fd  take  to  the  tall  timber  up  dere 
on  top. 

(Meantime  the  two  boys,  while  eating  with  one 
hand  out  of  their  cans^  have  been  whispering 
and  playing  knuckle-bones  with  pieces  of  coaly 
a  little  way  from  and  behind  the  men.  Sud- 
denly they  stopy  look  around  at  each  other  and 
listen^  for  they  hear  the  fairy  dance  music  of 
the  first  scene,  which  is  not  heard  by  these 
older  men,  who  go  on  talking.) 

First  Boy 
Dey*s  havin'  parade  up  dere. 

Second  Boy 
Dat  ain't  band  music,  you  mutt. 

(First  Boy  begins  to  sway  as  if  in  time  with 
the  music.) 

Second  Boy 
Wot's  the  matter  ? 

[97] 


EVERYCHILD 

First  Boy  {sheepish) 

Nuthin'.     {Tries  to  keep  still.     They  both  listen,) 

Did  yer  ever  dance,  Buck  ? 

Second  Boy 

Naw.     {Listens.)     But  I  bet  I  could ! 

First  Boy 

I  had  a  dream  onct.     I  dremp  Fs  in  an  orchard, 

an'  they's  blooms  floatin*  round.     I  could  smell 

'em! 

Second  Boy 

You's  nutty.     You  can't  smell  in  a  dream. 
{They  listen,  and  finally  yield  to  the  music y 
swaying  their  bodies,  moving  their  arms,  and 
beginning  to  dance  as  the  music  goes  on.) 
Jack 
I've  been  here   fourteen  years,  since  I  was  a 
boy.     It  ain't  a  place  for  a  man.    It's  too  black. 
You  get  black  outside  and  inside.     Why,  they  say 
your  lungs  get  black  from  breathing  this  dust. 
And  your  soul  gets  black.     The  place  for  an  honest 
man  to  work  is  out  in  the  white  light,  on  your 
ocean  or  in  your  woods,  or  on  the  roads  and  rail- 
ways,  and  in   the  big  buildings.     This  kind  of 
work  is  work  with  punishment  added  to  it.     A 
little  of  it  would  be  all  right  for  men  who  go  wrong, 
or  for  some  as  needs  discipline.     Then  some  day 

[98] 


EVERYCHILD 

they*ll  get  machines  to  do  the  rest.     Ah — there's 
the  whistle.     Come  on,  boys,  to  work  again ! 

{A  whistle  sounds  and  all  start  to  work  as  before^ 

(curtain  falls) 

Final  Scene:  Curtain  rises  on  final  scene.  Same 
as  firsts  with  music  as  before^  and  with  the 
mother  and  father  and  children  among  the  apple- 
trees.  Cho-Cho  appears^  rights  and  says: 
''Here  they  come!''  Everychild  enters ^  right, 
bringing  with  her  a  number  of  children,  who 
follow  her  and  then  scatter  under  the  trees. 

Everychild 
Oh,  mother,  I  went  everywhere,  and  we've 
brought  all  who  could  come !  But  there  were 
some  in  holes  in  the  ground  that  I  couldn't  reach, 
though  we  danced  and  danced,  and  called  and 
called.  They  were  too  far  down.  And  there  were 
some  ill  and  crippled,  in  hospitals,  that  couldn't 
walk,  and  some  hidden  away  in  great  buildings 
called  factories — and  some  in  tenements,  where 
there  was  no  sun,  and  no  green  grass  to  walk  on. 
Mother,  what  shall  we  do  ?  It  was  so  hard  to 
leave  them.  Won't  you  go  back  with  me,  and 
help  me  ? 

[99] 


EVERYCHILD 

Mother 
Yes,  Everychild.     We  must  all  go.     Not  one 
must  be  left  down  there. 

Father 
Yes,  we  cannot  go  on  up  the  Morning  Moun- 
tains until  they  come. 

Mother 
We  will  start  at  once,  all  of  us,  down  through 
the  highways  and  valleys  and  cities  of  the  world, 
and  bring  them  here.     Come,  children,  let  us  go. 
(They  gather  about  her  and  start  down^  right y 
singing  as  they  go,     Cho-Cho  lingers  behind 
for  a  few  moments  and  pronounces  an  epi- 
logue,) 


[100] 


EVERYCHILD' 


EPILOGUE 

Not  all  here  yet — 
But  they  must  come 
To  this  sunshine — 
To  these  mountains — 
To  these  birds  and  trees — 
To  the  music — 
To  the  Land  of  Health, 
The  Land  of  Happiness — 
They  may  be  gay  there — 

Sometimes — 

Sometimes — 
But  that  is  a  fool's  Paradise- 
My  old  Kingdom — 
And  I  must  lead  them  up 
To  this  new  land 
Of  hope  and  joy. 

(curtain  falls) 


[101] 


4  >- 


TWO  DOCTORS  AT  AKRAGAS 

BY 

Frederick  Peterson 


CHARACTERS 
Akron 
Empedocles 
Pantheia 


TWO  DOCTORS  AT  AKRAGAS* 

Akron 

She  has  been  dead  these  thirty  days. 

Empedocles 

How  say  you,   thirty  days!  and   there  is   no 

feature  of  corruption  ? 

Akron 

None.     She  has  the  marble  signature  of  death 

writ  in  her  whole  fair  frame.     She  lies  upon  her 

ivory  bed,  robed  in  the  soft  stuffs  of  Tyre,  as  if 

new-cut  from  Pentelikon  by  Phidias,  or  spread 

upon  the  wood  by  the  magic  brush  of  Zeuxis, 

seeming  as  much  alive  as  this,  no  more,  no  less. 

There  is  no  beat  of  heart  nor  slightest  heave  of 

breast. 

Empedocles 

And  have  you  made  the  tests  of  death  ? 
Akron 

There  is  no  bleeding  to  the  prick,  nor  film  of 
breath  upon  the  bronze  mirror.  They  have  had 
the  best  of  the  faculty  in  Akragas,  Gela,  and  Syra- 
cuse, all  save  you;  and  I  am  sent  by  the  dazed 
parents   to   beseech  you  to  leave  for  a  time  the 

*  Atlantic  Monthly,  191 1. 

[105] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT   AKRAGAS 

affairs  of  state  and  the  great  problems  of  philos- 
ophy, to  essay  your  ancient  skill  in  this  strange 
mystery  of  life  in  death  and  death  in  life. 
Empedocles 

I  will  go  with  you.     Where  lies  the  house  ^. 
Akron 

Down  yonder  street  of  statues,  past  the  Agora, 
and  hard  by  the  new  temple  that  is  building  to 
Olympian  Zeus.  It  is  the  new  house  of  yellow 
sandstone,  three  stories  in  height,  with  the  carved 
balconies  and  wrought  brazen  doors.  Pantheia 
is  her  name.  I  lead  the  way. 
Empedocles 

The  streets  are  full  to-day  and  dazzling  with 
color.  So  many  carpets  hang  from  the  windows, 
and  so  many  banners  are  flying !  So  many  white- 
horsed  chariots,  and  such  concourses  of  dark  slaves 
from  every  land  in  the  long  African  crescent  of  the 
midland  sea,  from  the  pillars  of  Hercules  to 
ferocious  Carthage  and  beyond  to  the  confines  of 
Egypt  and  Phoenicia !  Ah,  I  remember  now  !  It 
is  a  gala  day — the  expected  visit  of  Pindar.  I 
am  to  dine  with  him  to-morrow  at  the  Trireme. 
We  moderns  are  doing  more  to  celebrate  his 
coming  than  our  fathers  did  for  iEschylus  when 
he  was  here.  I  was  very  young  then,  but  I  re- 
[106] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

member  running  with  the  other  boys  after  him 
just  to  touch  his  soft  gown  and  look  into  his  noble 

Akron 
I  have  several  rolls  of  his  plays,  that  I  keep 
with  some  new  papyri  of  Pindar  arrived  by  the 
last  galley  from  Corinth,  in  the  iron  chest  inside 
my  office  door,  along  with  some  less  worthy  bags 
of  gold  of  Tarshish  and  coinage  of  Athens,  Sy- 
baris,  Panormos,  and  Syracuse.  Ah,  here  is  the 
door !  It  is  ajar,  and  if  you  will  go  into  the  court- 
yard by  the  fountain  and  seat  yourself  under  the 
palm-trees  and  azaleas  on  yon  bench,  by  the 
statue  of  the  nymph,  I  will  go  up  to  announce 

your  coming. 

Empedocles 

All  is  still  save  for  the  far,  faint  step  of  Akron 
on  the  stair,  and  the  still  fainter  murmur  from  the 
streets.  The  very  goldfish  in  the  fountain  do  not 
stir,  and  the  long  line  of  slaves  against  the  mar- 
ble wall,  save  for  their  branded  foreheads,  might 
be  gaunt  caryatides  hewn  in  Egyptian  wood  or 
carved  in  ebony  and  amber.  That  gaudy  tropic 
bird  scarce  ruffles  a  feather.  What  is  the  differ- 
ence between  life  and  death  ?  A  voice,  a  call, 
some  sudden  strange  or  familiar  message  on  old 
paths,  to  the  consciousness  that  lies  under  that 
[107] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT   AKRAGAS 

apparent  unconsciousness,  will  waken  all  these 
semblances  of  inanimation  into  new  life  of  arms 
and  fins  and  wings.  Let  me  try  her  thus !  My 
grandfather  was  a  pupil  of  Pythagoras  who  had 
seen  many  such  death-semblances  among  the  peo- 
ples of  the  white  sacred  mountains  of  far  India. 
Ha !     Akron  beckons.     I  must  follow  him. 

Akron 
Enter  yon  doorway  where  the  white  figure  lies 
resplendent  with  jewels  that  gleam  in  the  morning 
sun. 

Empedocles 

The  arm  drawn  downward  by  the  heavy  golden 
bracelet  is  cold,  yet  soft  and  yielding  like  a  sleep. 
The  face  has  the  natural  ease  of  slumber,  and  not 
the  rigid  artificiality  of  death.  'Tis  true  there  is 
no  pulse,  no  beat  of  heart  nor  stir  of  breath,  yet 
neither  is  there  the  sombre  grotesqueness  of  the 
last  pose.  But  the  difference  between  life  and 
death  is  here  so  small  that  it  is  incommensurable, 
the  point  of  the  mathematicians  only.  I  shall 
hold  this  little  hand  in  mine,  and,  with  a  hand  upon 
her  forehead,  call  her  by  name;  for,  you  know, 
Akron,  one*s  name  has  a  power  beyond  every 
other  word  to  reach  the  closed  ears  of  the  im- 
prisoned soul. 

[108] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

Pantheia !  Pantheia !  Pantheia !  It  is  dawn. 
Your  father  calls  you.  Your  mother  calls  you. 
And  I  call  you  and  command  you.  Open  your 
eyes  and  behold  the  sun ! 

Akron 

A  miracle,  oh,  Zeus  !     The  eyelids  tremble  like 
flower-petals  under  the  wind  of  heaven.     Was  that 
a  sigh  or  the  swish  of  wings  ?    Oh,  wonder  of  won- 
ders !  she  breathes — she  whispers  ! 
Pantheia 

Where  am  I  ?  Is  this  death  ?  Some  one  called 
my  name.  That  is  the  pictured  ceiling  of  my 
own  room.  Surely  that  is  Zaldu,  my  pet  slave, 
with  big  drops  on  her  black  face.  .  .  .  And  father, 
mother,  kneeling  either  side.  And  who  are  you 
with  rapt  face  and  star-deep  eyes,  thick  hair  with 
Delphic  wreaths,  and  in  purple  gown  and  golden 
girdle  ?    Are  you  a  god  ? 

Empedocles 

Be  tranquil,  child,  I  am  no  god,  only  a  physician 
come  to  heal  you.  You  have  been  ill  and  sleep- 
ing a  long  time. 

Pantheia 

Yes,  I  feel  weakness,  hunger,  and  thirst.     I  re- 
member now  that  I  was  well,  when  suddenly  a 
strange  thought  came  to  me  on  my  pillow.     I 
[109] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

thought  that  I  was  dead.  This  took  such  posses- 
sion of  me  that  it  shut  out  every  other  thought, 
and  being  able  to  think  only  that  one  thought, 
I  must  have  been  dead.  It  seemed  but  a  moment's 
time  when  the  spell  of  the  thought  was  broken  by 
an  alien  deep  voice  from  the  void  of  nothing  about 
me,  calling  me  by  name,  calling  me  to  wake  and 
see  the  day.  With  that  came  floods  of  my  own 
old  thoughts,  like  molten  streams  from  ^tna, 
that  were  rigid  as  granite  before  the  word  was 
given  that  loosed  them. 

Empedocles 

Did  you  not  see  new  things  or  new  lands  or 
old  dead  faces,  for  you  have  been  gone  a  month  ? 
I  am  curious  to  know. 

Pantheia 

How  passing  strange  !  No,  I  saw  neither  dark- 
ness nor  light.  I  heard  no  sounds,  nor  was  con- 
scious of  any  silence.  I  must  have  had  just  the 
one  thought  that  I  was  dead,  but  I  lost  conscious- 
ness of  that  thought.  I  remember  saying  good 
night  to  Zaldu,  and  I  handed  her  the  quaint  doll 
from  Egypt  and  bade  her  care  for  it.  Then  the 
thought  seized  me,  and  I  knew  no  more.  My 
thoughts  which  had  always  run  so  freely  before, 
like  a  plashing  brook,  must  have  suddenly  frozen, 
[110] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

as  the  amber-trader  from  the  Baltic  told  me  one 
day  the  rivers  do  in  his  far  northern  home.  Oh, 
sir,  are  you  going  so  soon  ? 

Empedocles 
Yes,  child.     You  must  take  nourishment  now, 
and  talk  no  more.     But  I  am  coming  again  to  see 
you,  for  I  have  many  earnest  questions  still  to 
put  regarding  this  singular  adventure. 

Akron 
Let  me  walk  with  you.  I  will  close  the  great 
door.  Already  the  gay  streets  are  silent,  and  the 
people  crowd  this  way,  whispering  awe-struck  to- 
gether of  the  deed  of  wonder  you  have  done  this 
day.  You  have  called  back  the  dead  to  life,  and 
they  make  obeisance  to  you  as  you  pass,  as  if  you 
were  in  truth  a  son  of  the  immortals.  Your  name 
will  go  down  the  ages  linked  with  the  miracle  of 
Pantheia.     You  are  immortal. 

Empedocles 
Nay,  'tis  not  so  strange  as  that,  and  yet  'tis 
stranger.  ^^^^ 

I  would  know  your  meaning  better. 

Empedocles 
The  power  of  a  thought,  that  is  the  real  won- 
[111] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

der !  We  just  begin  to  have  glimpses  of  the  effects 
of  the  mind  upon  the  body.  To  me,  Akron,  the 
faculty  has  set  too  great  store  upon  herbs  and 
bitter  drafts,  and  cupping  with  the  knife.  I 
would  fain  have  the  soul  acknowledged  more,  our 
therapy  built  on  the  dual  mechanism  of  mind  and 
substance.  For  if  an  idea  can  lead  to  the  appar- 
ent death  of  the  whole  body,  so  might  other  ideas 
bring  about  the  apparent  death  of  a  part  of  the 
body,  like,  for  example,  a  paralysis  of  the  mem- 
bers, or  of  the  senses  of  sight,  feeling,  hearing; 
and  in  truth  I  have  seen  such  things.  Or  a  thought 
might  give  rise  to  a  pain,  or  to  a  feeling  of  gen- 
eral illness,  or  to  a  feeling  of  local  disorder  in  some 
internal  organ;  and  I  feel  sure  I  have  likewise  met 
with  such  instances.  And  if  an  idea  may  pro- 
duce such  ailments,  then  a  contrary  idea  im- 
planted by  the  physician  may  heal  them.  I  be- 
lieve this  to  be  the  secret  of  many  of  the  marvels 
we  see  at  the  temples  and  shrines  of  iEsculapius 
and  of  the  cures  made  by  the  touch  of  seers  and 
kings. 

But  this  teaching  goes  much  deeper  and  further. 

If  we  could  in  the  schools  implant  in  our  youth 

ideas  which  were  strong  enough,  we  should  be  able 

to  make  of  them  all,  each  in  proportion  to  his  be- 

[112] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT   AKRAGAS 

lief  in  himself  and  his  ambition,  great  men,  great 
generals,  thinkers,  poets,  a  new  race  of  heroes  in 
all  lines  of  human  endeavor,  who  should  be  able 
by  their  united  strength  of  idea  and  ideal  finally 
to  people  the  world  with  gods. 

I  have  among  my  slaves,  who  work  as  vintners 
and  olive-gatherers,  a  physician  of  Thrace,  as  also 
a  philosopher  of  the  island  of  Rhodes,  a  member 
of  the  Pythagorean  League.  These  I  bought  not 
long  ago  from  the  Etruscan  pirates.  Every  eve- 
ning I  have  them  come  to  me  on  the  roof  after  the 
evening  meal,  and  there  under  the  quiet  of  the 
stars  we  discuss  life  and  death,  the  soul  and  im- 
mortality, and  all  the  burning  problems  of  order, 
harmony,  and  number  in  the  universe.  What 
surprises  me  is  that  this  Thracian  should  be  so 
in  advance  of  the  physicians  of  Hellas,  for  he 
holds  as  I  do  that  the  mind  should  be  first  con- 
sidered in  the  treatment  of  most  disorders  of  the 
body,  because  of  its  tremendous  power  to  force 
the  healing  processes,  and  because  sometimes  it 
actually  induces  disease  and  death.  And  we  have 
talked  together  of  the  incalculable  value  of  faith 
and  enthusiasm  so  applied  in  the  education  of  the 
child,  this  new  kind  of  gardening  in  the  budding 
soul  of  mankind,  and  of  what  new  and  august 
[113] 


TWO    DOCTORS    AT    AKRAGAS 

races  might  thereby  come  to  repeople  this  rather 
unsatisfactory  globe. 

I  am  minded  to  free  these  slaves,  indeed  all  my 
slaves,  and  I  have  the  intention  of  devoting  the 
most  of  a  considerable  fortune,  both  inherited  and 
amassed  by  me,  to  the  spread  of  these  doctrines 
and  to  the  public  weal,  particularly  in  the  matter 
of  planting  in  the  souls  of  our  youth,  not  the  mere 
ability  to  read  and  write  Greek  and  do  sums  in 
arithmetic,  but  the  seeds  of  noble  ideas  that  shall 
make  this  Trinacria  of  ours  a  still  more  wonder- 
ful human  garden  than  it  has  been  as  a  granary 
for  the  world's  practical  needs.  From  this  sea- 
centre  we  send  our  freighted  galleys  to  Gades  in 
the  West,  Carthage  in  the  South,  Tyre  in  the  East, 
and  to  the  red-bearded  foresters  of  the  Far  North. 
I  would  still  send  on  these  same  routes  this  food, 
but  also  better  food  than  this,  stuff  that  should 
kindle  and  feed  intellectual  fires  in  all  the  remote 
places  of  the  earth. 


[114] 


1^ 


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